Beyond self-esteem: influence of multiple motives on identity construction.
Diverse theories suggest that people are motivated to maintain or enhance feelings of self-esteem, continuity, distinctiveness, belonging, efficacy, and meaning in their identities. Four studies tested the influence of these motives on identity construction, by using a multilevel regression design. Participants perceived as more central those identity elements that provided a greater sense of self-esteem, continuity, distinctiveness, and meaning; this was found for individual, relational, and group levels of identity, among various populations, and by using a prospective design. Motives for belonging and efficacy influenced identity definition indirectly through their direct influences on identity enactment and through their contributions to self-esteem. Participants were happiest about those identity elements that best satisfied motives for self-esteem and efficacy. These findings point to the need for an integrated theory of identity motivation.
Department of Psychology.
Vivian L
VL
Vignoles
Center for Family Studies and Research.
Camillo
C
Regalia
Center for Family Studies and Research.
Claudia
C
Manzi
Department of Psychology.
Jen
J
Golledge
Center for Family Studies and Research.
Eugenia
E
Scabini
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D004739:England; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D018187:Personal Construct Theory; D011247:Pregnancy; D012649:Self Concept; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012933:Social Identification; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires