Similarly Torn, Differentially Shorn? The Experience and Management of Conflict between Multiple Roles, Relationships, and Social Categories

Janelle M Jones,Michaela Hynie

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01732

Janelle M Jones, Michaela Hynie

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01732

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Abstract

In three studies we examined the experience and management of conflict between different types of multiple identities. Participants described a conflict between pairs of role, relational, or social identities before rating the experience (i.e., magnitude, stress, and growth) and management of conflict on a newly developed scale assessing four strategies: reconciliation, where identities are integrated, realignment, where one identity is chosen over another, retreat, where both identities are avoided, and reflection, where fit (with others, situation) determines identity selection. In general, the types of identities mattered for conflict management but not its experience: Magnitude and growth did not differ, however, stress was greater for role identity conflicts (Study 3 only) and participants endorsed the use of more realignment for role conflicts (Study 2) and more retreat for relational conflicts (Study 3) relative to other types of identity conflicts. Furthermore, findings suggested that the perceived flexibility of identities, not their importance or valence, were associated with realignment and retreat for roles and with retreat for relationships. Experiencing conflicts between multiple identities leaves people similarly torn, but multiple roles and relationships may be differentially shorn to manage conflict.

Highlights

In particular we focused on identity conflicts between pairs of roles, relationships, and social categories – key dimensions on which individuals base their identities (Baumeister et al, 1985; Deaux et al, 1995; Benet-Martínez et al, 2002; Settles, 2004; Benet-Martínez and Haritatos, 2005; Hirsh and Kang, 2016)
Synthesizing the foregoing literature we propose that individuals manage conflicting multiple identities in at least three ways: Reconciliation, where individuals try to balance their multiple identities by integrating aspects of both identities, Realignment, where individuals choose one identity over another identity by selecting one identity to enact, or by focusing on one identity more than the other, and Retreat, where individuals avoid both of their conflicting identities, effectively compartmentalizing them
Descriptions of Conflict Types of identity conflict The most frequently selected conflicts pertained to role identities, transitional identities and relational identities

Summary

Introduction

These are some of the roles, relationships and social categories from which individuals can derive a sense of identity – knowledge of who they are, how they should act, and/or their place in the world (Tajfel, 1981; Tajfel and Turner, 1986; Turner et al, 1994; Deaux et al, 1995). These multiple identities are important ways that individuals come to understand themselves and others. Existing work has focused on the tension between multiple cultural identities

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