Taking the strain: social identity, social support, and the experience of stress.
The social identity/self-categorization model of stress suggests that social identity can play a role in protecting group members from adverse reactions to strain because it provides a basis for group members to receive and benefit from social support. To examine this model, two studies were conducted with groups exposed to extreme levels of strain: patients recovering from heart surgery (Study 1), bomb disposal officers and bar staff (Study 2). Consistent with predictions, in both studies there was a strong positive correlation between social identification and both social support and life/job satisfaction and a strong negative correlation between social identification and stress. In both studies path analysis also indicated that social support was a significant mediator of the relationship between (a) social identification and stress and (b) social identification and life/job satisfaction. In addition, Study 2 revealed that group membership plays a significant role in perceptions of how stressful different types of work are. Implications for the conceptualization of stress and social support are discussed.
Haslam
S Alexander
SA
University of Exeter, UK. A.Haslam@exeter.ac.uk
O'Brien
Anne
A
Jetten
Jolanda
J
Vormedal
Karine
K
Penna
Sally
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012931:Social Environment; D012933:Social Identification; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires