Identities in Everyday Life

Abstract

Identities are a part of the very fabric of life. Identities in Everyday Life focuses on how identity theory in social psychology can help us understand a wide array of issues across six areas of life, including psychological well-being; authenticity; morality; gender, race, and sexuality; group membership; and early to later adult identities. The research in this volume is from the second biannual conference on identity theory that brought together over 45 scholars who presented original theoretical or empirical work that demonstrates how identity theory provides a framework to explain everyday life experiences. The chapters build upon prior work to understand the source, development, and dynamics of individuals’ identities as they unfold within and across situations. The studies not only advance scholarly research on identities, but they also provide an understanding of the relevance of identities for people’s everyday lives. The findings are relevant to a broad-based set of researchers in the academy across disciplines in the social sciences, education, and health; to students at both the graduate and undergraduate level who are interested in identities at both a personal and professional level; to mental health professionals; and to the average person in society.