Motives and contexts of identity change: A case for network effects Academic Article

abstract

• In this paper we interrelate different theories of identity and describe how various social contexts and cognitive motives influence the process of identity change. We consider two competing theories about the linkage of contexts with motives for identity change: the effect of category traits, based on social identity theory, and the effect of social networks, based on identity theory. To explore these relations, we use data collected on more than 6,000 adolescents at six high schools in two consecutive school years. Multilevel logit models reveal a strong relationship between contexts and perceived identity imbalances, and a strong effect of identity imbalance on identity change. More important than category traits are the social network characteristics of prominence, homogeneity, and bridging; these form social contexts that affect perceptions of identity imbalance, and the perceptions in turn lead to a heightened incidence of identity change.

authors

• Pals, Heili

published proceedings

• SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY QUARTERLY

altmetric score

• 8.824

author list (cited authors)

• McFarland, D., & Pals, H.

citation count

• 86

complete list of authors

• McFarland, D||Pals, H

publication date

• January 2005

publisher

• SAGE Publications  Publisher

published in

• Social Psychology Quarterly  Journal

keywords

• Behavioral And Social Science

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1177/019027250506800401

start page

• 289

end page

• 315

volume

• 68

issue

• 4

URL

• http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/019027250506800401