Identity Centrality Research Articles

(Mis‐)Coordinating identities in the transition to parenthood: Investigating the co‐development of partners’ parenting, domestic and provider identities before and after the birth of the first child

AbstractThis research takes a socio‐psychological perspective to studying the transition to parenthood, by longitudinally investigating how couples dyadically coordinate: (a) the changing centralities of parenting domestic and provider identities, and (b) the consequences of this for stress and relationship satisfaction. We collected longitudinal data from a Swiss community sample of 213 heterosexual, first‐time parents, in approximately the 24th week of pregnancy (T1) and 2 years later (T2). Participants completed a sociogram task, sketching the centrality of parenting, domestic and provider identities, for themselves and their partner. We applied actor partner interdependence models to model changing identity centralities at T2, from the (coordination) of T1 identities, distinguishing effects due to one's partner and the individual. Results support identity coordination in couples, especially in the development of the domestic identity. This coordination also had longitudinal effects for couples’ well‐being. Results emphasize the social forces that structure the self‐concept, and their health consequences.

Ingroup Love or Outgroup Hate (or Both)? Mapping Distinct Bias Profiles in the Population.

Researchers have long argued that ingroup favoritism and outgroup derogation are separable phenomena that occur in different, meaningful combinations. Statistical methods for testing this thesis, however, have been underutilized. We address this oversight by using latent profile analysis (LPA) to investigate distinct profiles of group bias derived from ingroup and outgroup warmth ratings. Using a national probability sample of Māori (the indigenous people of New Zealand; N = 2,289) and Europeans (N = 13,647), we identify a distinct profile reflecting ingroup favoritism/outgroup derogation (Type III in Brewer's typology of ingroup bias) in both groups (6.7% of Māori, 10.3% of Europeans). The factors associated with this type, however, differed between groups. Whereas ethnic identity centrality predicted membership for Type III for Māori, social dominance orientation predicted this type for Europeans. Thus, although both groups may express the same kind of bias pattern, the motivation underlying this bias varies by status.

Is civic nationalism necessarily inclusive? Conceptions of nationhood and anti‐Muslim attitudes in Europe

AbstractDespite the centrality of national identity in the exclusionary discourse of the European radical right, scholars have not investigated how popular definitions of nationhood are connected to dispositions toward Muslims. Moreover, survey‐based studies tend to conflate anti‐Muslim attitudes with general anti‐immigrant sentiments. This article contributes to research on nationalism and out‐group attitudes by demonstrating that varieties of national self‐understanding are predictive of anti‐Muslim attitudes, above and beyond dispositions toward immigrants. Using latent class analysis and regression models of survey data from 41 European countries, it demonstrates that conceptions of nationhood are heterogeneous within countries and that their relationship with anti‐Muslim attitudes is contextually variable. Consistent with expectations, in most countries, anti‐Muslim attitudes are positively associated with ascriptive – and negatively associated with elective (including civic) – conceptions of nationhood. Northwestern Europe, however, is an exception to this pattern: in this region, civic nationalism is linked to greater antipathy toward Muslims. It is suggested that in this region, elective criteria of belonging have become fused with exclusionary notions of national culture that portray Muslims as incompatible with European liberal values, effectively legitimating anti‐Muslim sentiments in mainstream political culture. This may heighten the appeal of anti‐Muslim sentiments not only on the radical right, but also among mainstream segments of the Northwestern European public, with important implications for social exclusion and political behaviour.

LGBT Identity and Its Influence on Perceived Effectiveness of Advertisements from a LGBT Tobacco Public Education Campaign

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals are at increased risk for tobacco use compared to those who are not LGBT. The Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products launched the first U.S. large-scale tobacco public education campaign for LGBT young adults aged 18–24, This Free Life. The current study, using data from the evaluation of the This Free Life campaign, investigated the role of LGBT Identity Affirmation (i.e., the development of positive feelings or attachment to being LGBT), LGBT Identity Centrality (i.e., the degree to which an aspect of a person’s identity shapes their overall identity), and Identification with the LGBT Community (i.e., an individual’s relationship with the LGBT community) on perceived effectiveness of four This Free Life advertisements. The current study sample included 2,788 LGBT young adults. For the “Our Story” and “Flawless” advertisements, all three identity constructs were statistically significant positive predictors of perceived advertisement effectiveness. For female-centric and male-centric “Tip the Scale” advertisements, LGBT Identity Centrality and Identification with the LGBT Community were significant positive predictors. An additional secondary analysis found differences in identity constructs between sexual and gender minority subgroups. These results support that identity constructs may be leveraged in health interventions.

PO-01-021 The association between sexual self-esteem and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) identity

Self-esteem is based on the verification of social/group, role, and individual identity. Previous studies imply that possessing a stigmatized identity (e.g., LGB identity) can thus be seen as a threat to the self-esteem of the LGB population. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether the endorsement of LGB self- and collective-identity is associated with a specific facet of self-esteem—sexual self-esteem (SSE). 17 lesbians, 40 gays, and 23 bisexuals (17 of these female), aged between 14 and 74 (M = 29.7, SD = 11.8) participated in an online survey encompassing the following instruments: Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale (LGBIS), the Sexual Self-Esteem Scale (SSEI-SF), and a sociodemographic questionnaire. To confirm the internal consistency of the scales, Cronbach’s alpha was assessed. Correlational analyses were conducted. The scales displayed good reliabilities (Cronbach’s α ranging from .71 to .90). Correlation analyses indicated that several dimensions of the LGB identity were significantly correlated with various factors of SSE. For example, dimensions of LGBIS like identity dissatisfaction, difficult process, stigma sensitivity were significantly and negatively correlated (-.23 < r < -.41; p < .05) with SSE-SF’s dimension of adaptiveness (i.e., congruence of one's sexual experience with personal goals), while identity centrality was positively correlated (r = +.28; p < .01).

Puritan peers or egoistic entrepreneurs? Moral decay in lateral exchange markets

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the impact of LEM participation on moral identity. Lateral exchange markets (LEMs) enable ordinary people to monetize idle personal resources such as cars, homes, gadgets and skills. Despite its champions portraying actors in these exchange as moral citizens of society, recent findings suggest that egoistic motives drive participation. A salient moral identity motivates behaviors that show social sensitivity to others and enable cooperative actions. Given that platform-providing firms rely on users’ cooperative behaviors to facilitate lateral exchange, understanding factors that affect moral identity can have important implications for the success of such business models.Design/methodology/approachIn this research, the authors move away from the ideological discourse behind actors’ motivations, to provide a pragmatic explanation of how participation erodes moral identity. The authors apply a social cognitive framework to examine how the environment in LEMs impacts behaviors and personal factors in a recursive fashion.FindingsAcross two studies, findings reveal that prolonged participation in lateral exchange diminishes the centrality of moral identity to the working self-concept. Moreover, the results show that keeping puritan peers moral has positive business outcomes. This research also discerns a boundary condition that determines when peers remain consistent with their moral compasses. Specifically, when engagement is perceived as effortful, the behavior becomes an informative input in the inference of one’s moral disposition reinforcing moral identity.Originality/valueMarketers can use this research to design business models in ways that mitigate the decay of moral identity.

A Mixed-Method Inquiry of Bisexual Identity Centrality Among Racially and Ethnically Diverse Women

There is a dearth of research on racially and ethnically diverse bisexual women. Samples routinely over-represent White women, and studies often combine women of Color into a single analytic category, obscuring potential differences that could shed light on unique strengths or stressors. Identity characteristics such as centrality, or the importance of an identity to one’s sense of self, have been linked to psychological well-being and reports of discrimination. However, it is unclear how bisexual centrality operates for women of Color specifically, limiting understanding of mental health risk and protective factors within bisexual populations. As part of a larger mixed-methods study, we conducted qualitative interviews with 25 bisexual women of Color. Thematic analysis of responses to a question about bisexual identity importance identified two major themes: unambiguous importance, with subthemes “high centrality” and “low centrality”; and it’s just a part of me, with subthemes “qualities not identities”, and “questioning importance.” Bisexual identity centrality was also assessed quantitatively. Findings revealed complex narratives about the importance of bisexual identity to participants. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Perceived discrimination and well-being among unauthorized Hispanic immigrants: The moderating role of ethnic/racial group identity centrality.

We investigated the association between perceived ethnic discrimination with psychological well-being and life satisfaction among a community sample of unauthorized Hispanic immigrants in the United States. We also assessed whether ethnic/racial group identity centrality moderated this relationship. A community sample of self-reported unauthorized Hispanics (N = 140) completed questionnaires assessing perceived ethnic discrimination, ethnic/racial group identity centrality, psychological well-being, and life satisfaction. Discrimination negatively predicted psychological well-being and life satisfaction, and ethnic/racial group identity centrality moderated these relationships. High ethnic/racial group identity centrality reduced the association of discrimination with psychological well-being and life satisfaction. Ethnic/racial identity centrality lent psychological protection for those who reported higher levels of discrimination. Ethnic discrimination is a salient stressor for unauthorized Hispanic immigrants. Yet high ethnic/racial group identity centrality may protect these individuals from the negative effects of discrimination by providing a sense of belonging, acceptance, and social support in the face of rejection. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Retail employee pilferage: A study of moral disengagement

Employee pilferage – the unauthorized taking of work property or the means of production on a relatively small scale – is extremely costly. However, very little is known about what psychologically drives frontline retail workers to pilfer. Drawing upon the social cognitive theory of self-regulation, we argue that moral disengagement is the key psychological mechanism that frees retail employees to pilfer in the workplace without experiencing feelings of guilt or self-censure. We further develop and test a conceptual framework that depicts the causes of pilferage moral disengagement by customer-contact retail employees. We find that both moral identity centrality and ethical leadership inhibit pilferage moral disengagement, while cynicism and pilferage norms enhance it. Moreover, moral identity centrality can also alleviate the positive effects of both cynicism and pilferage norms on pilferage moral disengagement. We discuss the theoretical implications of these findings and the implications for practice.

Engaged Against the Machine: Institutional and Cultural Racial Discrimination and Racial Identity as Predictors of Activism Orientation among Black Youth.

The current study examines how experiences of institutional and cultural racial discrimination relate to orientations toward activism in the Black community among Black adolescents and emerging adults. Furthermore, we investigate the role of racial identity (centrality, public regard, nationalism) as moderators of those relations. In a national sample of 888 Black adolescents and emerging adults, we found that experiences of cultural racial discrimination, racial centrality, and nationalism ideology were related to a greater orientation toward low-risk Black community activism. For high-risk activism, nationalism was associated with a greater likelihood to participate in future social action in the Black community. The relation between experiences of institutional racial discrimination and high-risk activism orientation was moderated by public regard. For Black adolescents and emerging adults who believe others view Black people negatively, more experiences of institutional racial discrimination were related to a greater high-risk activism orientation. Findings highlight the importance of investigating racial discrimination as a multidimensional construct that extends beyond individual interactions and microaggressions. Furthermore, these findings underscore how phenomenological variation in experiences of racial discrimination and racial identity differentially influence adolescent and emerging adult orientations toward social action in and for the Black community.

The Rohingya Crisis: The Centrality of Identity and Citizenship

The article examines the recent developments of Rohingya refugee crisis, especially in the aftermath of August 2017 violence which led to the exodus of hundreds of thousands of people across the border to Bangladesh. It analyzes the three-stage-plan proposed by China and the repatriation agreement between Myanmar and Bangladesh and argues that ethnic identity and citizenship issues are fundamental to the Rohingya conundrum. Without addressing these core issues, which thus far have been paid little or no serious consideration, there is a danger of recurrence of violence. While the Myanmar authorities are ready to address some of the immediate concerns, such as providing accommodation and food, evidences suggest that the government does not have the political will, at least at the moment, to address the core issues of ethnic identity and citizenship, as well as the related security concerns.

Identity, Role Conception, and Status Dilemma: A Socio-Psychological Account of China-U.S. Relations

This article examines the status politics in Chinese foreign policy and its implications on China-U.S. relations. The analysis of status recognition and the role it plays in Chinese diplomacy reveals the motivating factors behind China’s quest for respect in the international arena and the centrality of national identity in China’s status aspiration. Viewed from the socio-psychological perspective, China’s tenacious struggle to gain a prominent international status is a social action aimed at forging its identity security, whereby the Chinese “self” will interact on equal terms with the foreign “other.” Based on the argument, this paper compares Chinese and American role conceptions and dissects the status dilemma between the two powers by exploring the dynamics of disrespect in their status relations. The two nations’ distinctive self-role conceptions and their role expectations of the interacting parties have led to a widening gap between China’s international status that entitles it to equal treatment and the one accorded by the United States. The disquieting condition of this status dissonance has motivated Beijing to disrupt the asymmetric hierarchy wherein it used to exhibit deference to Washington. The effort of the established hegemon in upending the defiance of the status contestant has exacerbated the status dilemma, which has given rise to the current China-U.S. malaise.

The Effect of Social Information in the Dictator Game with a Taking Option

We experimentally study how redistribution choices are affected by positive and negative information regarding the behaviour of a previous participant in a dictator game with a taking option. We use the strategy method to identify behavioural ‘types’, and thus distinguish ‘conformists’ from ‘counter-conformists’, and unconditional choosers. Unconditional choosers make up the greatest proportion of types (about 80%) while only about 20% of subjects condition their responses to social information. We find that both conformity and counter-conformity are driven by a desire to be seen as moral (the ‘symbolization’ dimension of moral identity). The main difference is that, conformity is also driven by a sensitivity to what others think (‘attention to social comparison’). Unconditional giving (about 30% of players) on the other hand is mainly driven by the centrality of moral identity to the self (the ‘internalization' dimension of moral identity). Social information thus seems to mainly affect those who care about being seen to be moral. The direction of effect however depends on how sensitive one is to what others think.

Where does it lead to? Nowhere! Problematic sensemaking concerning commercialisation

This study utilised Weick's sensemaking framework to understand academic entrepreneurship as a social process. This paper presents an analysis of the sensemaking process of a group of scientists, assisted by a university business advisor, who aimed to establish a university spin-off company. The case study shows how the scientists failed to construct a new sense of commercialisation in their business development project. Analysing personal interviews with the scientists, this study investigated problematic sensemaking concerning commercialisation activities and academic entrepreneurship. In addition to showing how problems in sensemaking produced hesitation rather than action in business development, the findings emphasise the centrality of identities, enactments, salient cues and social contexts in organising commercialisation activities at universities.

Identity Inclusiveness and Centrality: Investigating Identity Correlates of Attitudes toward Immigrants and Immigration Policies

AbstractSocial psychology highlights ingroup identity as an important determinant of intergroup attitudes and relations; however, research has demonstrated that its effects can be positive, negative, or nonexistent depending on how such identity is conceptualized. This research explores how national identity inclusiveness (Study 1) and centrality (Study 2) are associated with immigration related attitudes in school and countrywide settings, respectively. Study 1 showed that teachers’ inclusive (i.e., overlapping) identities regarding their immigrant students related to positive attitudes toward these students, but not to attitudes about immigrants in general or immigration policy preferences. Study 2 found that national identity centrality was related to negative attitudes toward the social impact of immigrants, and to higher support for policies inhibiting the social inclusion of immigrants in the receiving community. Combined, these studies highlight the importance of considering different conceptualizations of ingroup identity in identifying relations to immigration‐based attitudes. Moreover, the studies highlight the value of promoting inclusive identities when aiming to improve attitudes toward immigrants. We conclude by discussing a new approach for promoting inclusive identities by framing immigrants as indispensable to the receiving community.

Fueling the fire: Examining identity centrality, affective interpersonal commitment and gender as drivers of entrepreneurial passion

Research on passion is burgeoning in the entrepreneurial literature, yet we still know little about what factors drive entrepreneurial passion. Recognizing the socially embedded nature of entrepreneurship, we examine identity-related social forces that may fuel the fire of entrepreneurial passion. Employing a lagged design that controls for known antecedents, we find different pathways driving harmonious versus obsessive entrepreneurial passion. We find that harmonious entrepreneurial passion is fueled by entrepreneurial identity centrality whereas obsessive entrepreneurial passion is fueled by affective interpersonal commitment. Interestingly, gender moderates both these relationships.

Discrimination against Workers with Visible Tattoos: Experimental Evidence from Germany

We use a correspondence testing approach to study discrimination against applicants with visible tattoos in the German labor market. The method has been widely employed in discrimination literature; however, the majority of papers examine objects of discrimination that are exogenously given (gender, race, ethnicity, etc.). The design of our experiment allows us to study the extent of discrimination against choice-based characteristics. We send fictitious applications to online job postings in the banking sector. Otherwise identical applications differ only in the picture attached: in the treatment group the applicants have a visible tattoo. The extent of discrimination is measured by the difference in callback rates. We find that candidates without visible tattoos have, on average, a 13 percentage point higher callback rate, or an increase in the callback rate of 54%. Following Akerlof and Kranton (2000), our results once more highlight the centrality of identity.

Cause-related marketing and employee engagement: The roles of admiration, implicit morality beliefs, and moral identity

Cause-related marketing refers to supporting a charitable cause or a non-profit organization to promote sales. Little is known about how cause-related marketing influences a firm's own employees. Two field studies were conducted which confirmed that cause-related marketing enhances employees' admiration for their company, which in turn promotes engagement. Importantly, each employee's implicit morality beliefs and moral identity centrality jointly moderate these relationships. The practical implications of these findings are discussed.

TINJAUAN GENDER IDENTITY - RESPON DAN PERSEPSI TERHADAP IKLAN TELEVISI

This paper seeks lo challenge the tendency lo represent gender as a unitary theoretical construct, and would argue for a more di.fjerentiated view of how the psychological aspect of gender influence the perception of advertising This paper use a small-scale exploratory study to examine the potential impact o,f'gender identity within consumer' self - schemas on their perception of advertising. Bern's ,)'ex Role Inventory (SRI) was administered to 20 young adults who then watched video clips of television advertisements. The focus group discussions about the advertisements were analyzed within the context of the respondents ' gender schemas identified via the Bern SRI score: masculine. feminine, androgynous or und(tferentiated. The centrality of gender identity to self-schemas affected how consumers processed and interpreted the advertising. This provides support for a more differentiated approach to representing men and women within gender research and advertising.

The associations between national identity and adjustment: What can we learn from autobiographical narratives?

This study examined the interplay between national identity, autobiographical narratives on national identity and the adjustment of immigrant and majority groups in Israel. Participants were 193 Jewish Israelis (63.68% female; mean age 29.54 years); 51.29% immigrated from the Former Soviet Union and 48.71% were from native-born families. Participants reported the centrality of and private regard for national identity and provided autobiographical narratives on peak and nadir experiences of national identity. Narratives’ topics and themes of agency and communion were coded. Participants also reported positive adjustment (self-esteem, life satisfaction); negative adjustment (depression, anxiety symptoms); and civic engagement (voting, consumption of news about Israel). The immigrant group showed lower centrality of national identity, less positive adjustment, and lower civic engagement than the majority group. The groups significantly varied in narrative topics. Private regard for national identity was associated with better adjustment of both groups. Agency in peak narratives was associated with higher civic engagement of immigrants. Agency in nadir narratives was associated with more positive adjustment and less negative adjustment of immigrants and with higher civic engagement of both groups. The findings indicate that national identity is important in the adjustment of both immigrant and majority groups. It extends prior research by documenting the unique role of autobiographical experiences of national identity in adjustment.