title: A process-content approach to adolescent identity formation: examining longitudinal associations between identity styles and goal pursuits.
abstract: Research on identity focuses on the processes involved (e.g., identity style) or its content (e.g., goals and values), but limited research has addressed both issues simultaneously. The present study investigates cross-lagged relations between identity styles (i.e., informational, normative, and diffuse-avoidant) and goals (i.e., intrinsic vs. extrinsic and openness to change vs. conservation) in a 3-wave adolescent sample (N = 806). Results support a reciprocal model, with process and content influencing each other. As for process effects, the informational and diffuse-avoidant style predicted decreases in conservation goals, and the normative style predicted increases in conservation and extrinsic goals. As for content effects, conservation goals increased the normative style, and extrinsic goals decreased the informational and increased the diffuse-avoidant style.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Tiensestraat 102, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Bart.Duriez@psy.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Duriez
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luyckx
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Soenens
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berzonsky
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012649:Self Concept; D012933:Social Identification