Time and Identity: An Evaluation of Existing Empirical Research, Conceptual Challenges, and Methodological Opportunities

Abstract

ABSTRACT Since the early 2000s, researchers have been taking advantage of the increasing availability of internet-based technology to gather intensive longitudinal data over short-term (e.g., hours, days) time intervals. However, phenomena that are relevant at long-term (e.g., months, years) time intervals may manifest themselves differently at different time scales. Much like climate change cannot be observed by evaluating the weather on a particular day––or even over a week or year––careful consideration is needed of what is examined when studying identity processes in real time instead of across longer periods of time. We discuss issues related to time scales in the study of identity by reviewing various identity theories offering operationalizations of real-time identity and broader developmental theories on micro-genetic forms of development. Next, we critically assess research examining identity commitment and exploration at the daily and weekly level. Finally, we offer recommendations for advancing the study of real-time identity, drawing from various subfields within identity research, including narrative identity and discursive approaches to identity construction. We aim to inspire new and important mixed-method research that can advance the measurement of micro-level identity, which is essential for gaining a better understanding of how identity formation processes operate on different time scales.