Identity Theory Research Articles

Believing in Change: Predicting Identification, Performance, and Ethical Culture in an Organizational Acquisition Case in Romania

This study examines how positive beliefs about organizational changes during a foreign acquisition case influence organizational identification, perceptions of ethical organizational culture, and individual performance seven months post-acquisition. By integrating theories of social identity and organizational change, we offer a new perspective on how positive perceptions of change influence key outcomes following mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Using a cross-lagged design with two cross-sectional datasets within a high-intensity telecommuting organization in Romania, we found that viewing change positively significantly enhanced organizational identification, perceptions of ethical organizational culture, and individual performance. These findings highlight the crucial role of effectively managing the narrative surrounding change processes and enhancing employee perceptions in successful organizational integration following M&As.

The Influence of Environmental Sustainability Initiatives on Employee Morale: The Mediating Role of Organizational Identification

This study investigates the impact of environmental sustainability initiatives on employee morale, with a specific focus on the mediating role of organizational identification. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research encompasses quantitative data from 500 employees across various industries in Germany and qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that environmental sustainability initiatives positively influence employee morale both directly and indirectly through enhanced organizational identification. Employees who perceive a strong alignment between their values and their organization's sustainability efforts report higher job satisfaction and commitment. The study also highlights the critical role of leadership and communication in successfully implementing sustainability initiatives. These insights extend social identity theory and contribute to the literature on corporate social responsibility (CSR) by elucidating the internal benefits of sustainability practices. Practical implications for organizational leaders and policymakers include integrating sustainability into core business strategies, fostering organizational identification, and promoting transparent communication to enhance employee morale and organizational effectiveness.

Women’s football fandom and stadium attendance in Iran: a form of everyday resistance?

ABSTRACT To date, there is a scarcity of research examining women’s leisure lives in Iran, particularly their football fandom. In this study, we examine the development and negotiation of women’s fan identities, their experience of stadium attendance and alternative forms of fandom, as well as the extent to which their fandom is a form of everyday resistance. To do so, we draw on semi-structured interview data with ten women who attended matches at Azadi Stadium in Tehran. Utilizing identity theory and concepts of everyday resistance, we found women have highly salient fan identities, developed through various forms of fandom. This is despite gender and other factors such as geographical location acting as identity constraints. Due to historic restrictions in women attending stadiums, interviewees used alternative fandom as types of everyday resistance, opposing gender norms in subtle ways. Moreover, stadium attendance in itself symbolizes everyday resistance for women, a means to challenge others’ opposition to their fandom, and resist cultural expectations including ideas about “appropriate” gender norms. The significance of this article is demonstrated by the potential for women’s football fandom to contest gender inequality in Iranian society and we suggest it is both a form of activism and a leisure activity.

Exploring online advocacy mechanisms through self-presentation: a comparative analysis between e-commerce website customers

PurposeUnderpinning social identity theory (SIT) and service-dominant logic (SDL), the current paper seeks to explore the effect of self-presentation on online brand advocacy (OBA). Furthermore, this paper investigates the mediating role of hedonic value and the moderating role of customer interaction with e-commerce websites (i.e. Amazon, Walmart and eBay).Design/methodology/approachData were collected from customers of three e-commerce platforms (i.e. Walmart, Amazon and eBay) using a structured questionnaire – multi-group analysis applied on SmartPLS 4.4.FindingsSelf-presentation has a positive role in increasing hedonic value and its impact on OBA. The moderating effect of customer interaction on these relationships is also investigated and found to be significant.Social implicationsOur findings underscore the significance of fostering inclusive online communities and favorable online settings. Existing findings are consistent with overarching objectives of digital empowerment and enhanced online interaction quality. This paper contributes to harmonious and collaborative digital societies by encouraging personalized experiences that foster a sense of belonging among diverse customers.Originality/valueThis paper adds to the existing body of knowledge by comparing customer behavior on three major e-commerce platforms, going beyond the traditional focus on a single platform. Drawing on SIT and SDL, this paper provides a distinct nomological framework for OBA that unifies disparate constructs, filling theoretical gaps in our understanding of online customer behavior.

Exploring the relationship between hybrid founder social identities and entrepreneurs’ psychological resilience

ABSTRACT This study explores the link between entrepreneurs’ hybrid founder social identity and psychological resilience, applying social identity theory and broaden-and-build theory. Psychological resilience is crucial for entrepreneurial success, given the challenging environments in which entrepreneurs operate. Yet, research on individual-level antecedents of entrepreneurs’ psychological resilience is limited. Entrepreneurs today strive to address social and ecological issues without sacrificing financial gain, making hybrid identity types—combining “opportunistic” (Darwinian) and “altruistic” (Communitarian or Missionary) elements—increasingly relevant. Analyzing survey data from 886 entrepreneurs, we find that entrepreneurs with specific hybrid identities (Darwinian-Communitarian or Darwinian-Missionary combinations) exhibit greater psychological resilience. We attribute this to their expanded ability to draw meanings and experience positive emotions from diverse sources, providing them with a broader psychological foundation to rely on in challenging times. This work enhances our understanding of entrepreneurs’ antecedents of psychological resilience and offers insights into the complexities of hybrid founder identities.

Antecedents of visitors’ brand loyalty: An investigation of India International Trade Fair

Tourism destinations rely on visitors’ loyalty for continued profitability, which is reflected in repeat visits to a particular destination. Events play a critical role in enhancing the demand for a destination and increasing visitor loyalty. This study focuses on measuring the impact of visitors’ brand experience, visitors’ brand experience, visitors’ brand identification, satisfaction, and trust on their brand loyalty in the context of the India International Trade Fair (IITF) held in New Delhi. A structured questionnaire was administered to 243 visitors attending the event. The proposed conceptual model draws on the theories of Anthropomorphism, Social Identity and Relationship Marketing. Empirical testing was conducted using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling. The results indicate that visitors’ brand loyalty is significantly predicted by their personality, experience, brand identification, satisfaction, and trust at IITF. There is limited research on the antecedents of visitors’ brand loyalty in the context of festivals and events. This research adds new dimension to studies pertaining to festivals and events. Based on the findings, the study proposes directions for future research and managerial implications for event organizers.

Advocates for STEM education: Developing advocacy identity in STEM teacher leadership

AbstractScience, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teacher advocacy is a particular skillset within STEM teacher leadership, but little is known about how STEM teacher leaders develop their identity as advocates for STEM education. To glean a more nuanced and deeper understanding of developing advocate identity among STEM teacher leaders, we conducted a duoethnographic study to critically reflect on our lived experiences as STEM teacher leaders engaged in advocacy. Drawing upon identity theory to frame our study, we co‐developed and individually responded to a set of questions and prompts that critically interrogated our experiences, leading toward identifying as advocates for STEM education. Multiple subsequent critical discussions about our responses led to a recorded dialogic conversation, which acted as our site of research. Emergent themes from duoethnographic analysis revealed having increased awareness of STEM education policies and their impacts, recognizing injustices affecting marginalized communities, and acknowledging systemic barriers preventing community voices in policymaking helped to strengthen our advocacy identities. The dialogue also emphasized the importance of reaching out to communities to understand needs when developing policy recommendations. We conclude the study by making recommendations to support STEM teacher leaders interested in engaging in advocacy at the individual classroom, school, and district levels.

Investigating feelings of imposterism in first-year medical student narratives.

Imposter phenomenon (IP), feeling as if a person does not belong, has been reported in medical students at various rates. In medical literature, this phenomenon has often been defined as a 'syndrome', but other studies have described it as a dynamic experience that can have various impacts on different people at different time points. Although studies have linked IP with other phenomena such as burnout in residents and physicians, no studies have examined its aetiology nor how these feelings are experienced by medical students. With the use of social identity theory as a framework, the authors analysed 233 reflective essays for elements of IP across eight cohorts of medical students from two institutions. Students responded to a prompt that asked: 'What was one part of your identity that you thought you would have to change in order to become a physician?' Included reflections were analysed using the framework method. Elements of IP were identified in 121 reflections (52%) and were categorised into three major themes: (1) Comparing oneself to an idealised image of a medical student, (2) Comparing oneself to an idealised image of a physician and (3) Concerns about presentation of self to others. Each theme contained two or more sub-themes. Commonly, students discussed how their own personality traits, experiences, backgrounds and identities cast doubt on their sense of belonging in medicine. The results of this study were consistent across both institutions, suggesting that imposter feelings are common among all first-year medical students. However, the extent of the impact of these feelings on their identity formation depends on the individual lived experiences of students and the context in which these feelings arise. Encouraging reflective journaling and sharing of stories from all stages of education can normalise imposter feelings during the development of the professional identity as a physician.

How do inclusive leaders emerge? A theory-based model

Despite recent theoretical developments examining the emergence of several types of leadership, there is a paucity of research on the emergence of inclusive leaders. We sought to address this gap by proposing a theory-based conceptual model. We identify a paradox in leader emergence: Although there is evidence that inclusive leaders can improve organizational effectiveness, those who influence decisions about leader selection, both formal and informal, often overlook this evidence and instead select leaders who do not practice inclusion. Integrating expectation states theory and implicit leadership theory to explain leadership emergence, with social identity theory and social comparison theory to explain inclusion, we propose a conceptual model culminating with four propositions. The model suggests practices that can support inclusive leadership and how inclusive leadership can improve organizational effectiveness and employee well-being. We conclude with implications for policies to promote inclusive leadership emergence and propose avenues for future research.

The associations between EFL learners’ L2 class belongingness, emotion regulation strategies, and perceived L2 proficiency in an online learning context

ABSTRACT Although the sense of belongingness plays a major influence in fostering intrinsic motivation and psychological well-being, scant research attention has been given to English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ belongingness in relation to peers and teachers and its outcomes in L2 learning contexts. Additionally, despite the importance of emotion regulation in L2 education, little is known about its role in mediating the impact of L2 belongingness on self-assessment of L2 proficiency in online L2 learning environments. Therefore, the present study used survey data to examine the associations between learners’ sense of class belongingness, their preferred emotional regulation strategies (reappraisal vs. suppression) and self-perceived English proficiency, in a sample of 191 Turkish EFL university students. Path analysis results indicated significant direct paths between social belongingness with peers and academic belongingness with teachers, respectively, and the emotional regulation strategy of reappraisal. Further analysis indicated a significant indirect association between social belongingness with peers and perceived L2 proficiency through the measure of reappraisal emotional regulation. There was also a significant indirect relationship via reappraisal between academic belongingness with teachers and perceived L2 proficiency. The results are discussed in connection with self-determination theory and social identity theory, and implications are drawn for teaching.

Building narrative identity in a context of audience failures: Stories of resistance among young adults formerly in foster care

BackgroundChild maltreatment survivors with extensive foster care involvement are tasked with building identities that allow them to make sense of difficult pasts in ways that help them build adult lives. ObjectiveTo use narrative identity theory to explore identities and identity-building challenges of young adults formerly in foster care. Participants and settingTwelve young adults who aged out of the foster care system in Illinois. MethodsParticipants were interviewed three times with semi-structured protocols that focused on their life stories and the meanings derived from them. Data were analyzed using an adapted grounded theory approach. ResultsMany participants forged resistance identities around a fierce sense of agency, motivated to not be another foster care statistic or like their parents. Challenges to identity construction included the scarcity of trusted audiences willing to listen fully to their life stories, missing information about key events, and the senselessness of maltreatment experiences. College and work opportunities provided normative contexts and new audiences where identities shifted, but often at the cost of not revealing their histories, limiting social relations. Temporal coherence was evident in most life stories. Causal and global coherence was more difficult to achieve. ConclusionsIntervention efforts designed to provide willing and helpful audiences for narrative formation work may help young people from foster care find meaning in their pasts that help them forge identities that promote satisfying and successful adult lives. Narrative identity theory may benefit from greater engagement with theories of oppression and marginalization.

“Just shut out the world”: Bullied adolescents’ structured recreational and sports activities and their relationship to wellbeing and friendship

Although bullied adolescents’ leisure activities and friendships may impact their wellbeing, the leisure environments of bullied adolescents has received limited attention in previous research. The aim of this study was to explore bullied adolescents’ perspectives on their out-of-school time, with a special focus on structured recreational and sports activities and how these relate to friendships and wellbeing. Based on interviews with 20 Swedish adolescents who experienced bullying in lower secondary school, we used a constructivist grounded theory approach to guide the research, further informed by concepts from the social-ecological perspective and identity theory. The findings indicate that structured recreational and sports activities can serve as a temporary refuge from school bullying, providing a safe environment that promotes self-recovery and friendship development. However, if bullies are present in these activities, it can undermine the positive effects and may lead victims to quit.

From Risk to Reward: Understanding the Influence of Generation Z and Personality Factors on Sustainable Entrepreneurial Behaviour

Entrepreneurial intent has transformed over the last few decades to respond to current environmental, societal and economic challenges. An essential role in this transformation has been bequeathed to Generation Z. This study aims to evaluate the influence of Generation Z personality traits measured by internal locus control, perceived creativity (PC), proactive personality (PP) and sustainable perceived behavioural control (SPBC) on sustainable entrepreneurial intention (SEI) when mediated by Generation Z’s perception of risk. The sample for this study was collected through a data collection instrument in which 505 young people from Portuguese Generation Z participated. A quantitative methodology was applied through the Partial Least Square method. The results show that the personality traits, PC, PP and sustainable perceived control behaviour of Generation Z positively influence their risk perception (RP) and SEI. In turn, RP positively influences the SEI of these young people. No statistically significant relationship was found between the internal locus control of Generation Z youth and RP or SEI. This study is key to expanding identity theory to the context of sustainable entrepreneurship among Generation Z youth, highlighting how RP shapes their entrepreneurial practices. By contributing to the still scarce literature on generational cohorts in the field of entrepreneurial activity, the study offers a valuable empirical analysis of the relationship between personality traits and entrepreneurial intention. In addition, it deepens understanding of the emerging concept of sustainable entrepreneurship, providing important insights for promoting environmentally responsible business practices among younger generations.

Math identity and Cultural Historical Activity Theory:

Math identity and Cultural Historical Activity Theory:

Do policy instruments that restrict social identity expression increase economic cooperation?

Recent public and corporate policies restricting social identity expression, such as the face-covering restrictions in many European countries, presume that prominent signals of our social identity differences drive division even when inference about social identity is unaffected. Social identity theory predicts that limiting identity expression could positively or negatively affect how groups interact. We use an experiment to test whether a treatment that bans displaying an identity pin affects cooperation in public goods provision. Our subjects are U.K. residents who were in favor of leaving or remaining in the European Union. Each subject is simultaneously in two different yet economically identical environments that are distinguished only by the social identities of the group members. They play two simultaneous one-shot public goods games, one with others who share their identity (in-group public good), and one with a mixture of Leavers and Remainers (mixed-group public good). The political identities of all subjects and the structure of each group are known by everyone. Our treatments vary whether there exists a ban on displaying a Leaver/Remainer identity pin to others and whether Leavers or Remainers are the majority identity in the mixed groups. We find that banning pinning increases contributions to the mixed group when Leavers are the majority. These increases can be explained by changes in beliefs rather than the notion that shared group identity per se affects behavior. These setting- and identity-specific results suggest that policies designed to promote integration should be examined in the context in which they will be applied.

When identification with your group matters: leader consultation in response to constructive follower voice

ABSTRACT Integrating social exchange and social identity theory, the present research investigates to what extend and why follower social identification matters for the relationship between constructive follower voice and leader consultation. We argue that when the voicing follower is strongly identified with the joint workgroup, leaders will positively reciprocate constructive voice with consultation, as a concrete participatory leader behaviour, because they perceive this follower’s voice as more constructive. We conducted a multi-wave field study (N = 177) and two pre-registered experiments (N = 199 and N = 528). Overall, we found that leaders consulted constructive voicers more when they were strongly rather than weakly identified with the joint workgroup, because they perceived their voice as a more constructive contribution. Comparison with a neutral control condition further showed that this effect was mainly due to leaders refraining from consultation when voicing followers were weakly identified. Additionally comparing constructive voice to two other types of proactive expressions (i.e. destructive voice, supportive voice) in Study 3 showed that followers’ weak social identification attenuated the positive effect of voice on leaders’ perceived voice constructiveness only for constructive voice (i.e. challenging and promotive) but not for non-challenging (i.e. supportive) or non-promotive (i.e. destructive) follower expressions.

Trans-becoming: decoding interactionist trans identity in Nagarkirtan (2019) and Chitrangada: The Crowning Wish (2012)

The unique characteristics of Indian trans-identity are shaped by cultural intricacies, setting it apart from its Western counterparts. Despite facing marginalisation in mainstream Indian society, the intricacies of their constructed trans-culture further complicate their experiences. According to the interactionist perspective of gender identity within sociological theory, an individual’s interactions with peers, family, and society influence the development of their gender identity. Examining this concept within the diverse Indian context reveals the significant nuances of Indian trans-identity. Two Bengali-Indian films, Kaushik Ganguly’s Nagarkirtan (2019) and Rituparno Ghosh’s Chitrangada: The Crowning Wish (2012), depict the intense and challenging journeys of individuals embracing their trans identities. This research aims to analyse the films from an interactionist perspective, exploring how the Indian cultural discourses portrayed in the films influence the formation of trans identities. The findings suggest that the development of trans identity involves complex processes influenced by social interactions, where conflicts between one’s generalised self and instinctual self arise due to sexual digression. Additionally, this study indicates that the sexual scripting of trans individuals is influenced by various factors, including class, culture, financial status, and social position, making it challenging to conform to the binary gender script of a normalised society. This qualitative research utilises the Interactionist theory of gender identity to analyse the two Bengali-Indian films.

Religious, ethnic and regional identities in Nigerian politics: a shared interest theory

ABSTRACT This essay examines the complex interplay between religious, ethnic, and regional identities in Nigerian politics, challenging the idea that religion solely dictates political behavior. It delves into the manipulation of identities for political advantage, with an emphasis on religion. The Social Identity Theory (SIT) is discussed, highlighting the cognitive processes in forming social identities and their role in promoting in-group bias and out-group prejudice. The novel contribution that this essay makes is the introduction of what I termed the ‘Shared Interest Theory’ or the ‘Common Interest Theory,’ arguing that changes in interests, both tangible and intangible, can trigger shifts in social identity and group dynamics. This theory offers a rational framework for understanding social identity dynamics, providing insights for promoting social cohesion in diverse societies. This framework on identity and politics underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing the divergent interests of different groups to mitigate conflicts and foster social harmony.

Employee disengagement: the catalytic role of leader-induced defensive cognitions and perceptual politics

PurposeThe study aims to attain insights into the role of destructive leadership and perceived organizational politics as catalysts for employee disengagement through the perspective of social identity theory. The research further considers employees’ defensive cognitions for a comprehensive understanding of these interrelated phenomena in the workplace.Design/methodology/approachIn order to ascertain the pertinence and contextual relevance of the proposed framework, literary review was complemented by a survey-based study encompassing 114 full-time employees purposively selected from the six systemically important banks of Pakistan.FindingsThe findings accentuate the significance of destructive leadership in inducing withdrawal behaviours among employees directly and indirectly through continuance commitment. The results also underline perceptions of politics as a significant work environment impediment amplifying employees’ propensity to undergo psychological withdrawal.Originality/valueThe study contributes to strategic human resource management literature by offering an identity-based explanation for employees’ disengagement, considering Pakistan’s power-distant and collectivist orientation. The research further introduces an empirical novelty by postulating a total effect moderation model.

Enhancing knowledge sharing of host-country nationals in foreign subsidiaries: Does cultural intelligence matter?

The knowledge of host-country nationals who work in the foreign subsidiaries of multinationals is a crucial strategic resource for their employers. This study explored the role that cultural intelligence plays in employees' knowledge sharing within a cross-cultural workplace context. Building on social identity theory, this study developed a theoretical framework to explore how hostcountry nationals' cultural intelligence could enhance their knowledge sharing via increasing their social identity, and further investigated the mediating role of host-country nationals' relationships with expatriates and identification with their organization. Using survey data from 412 host-country nationals working for 16 foreign subsidiaries in South Korea, I found that cultural intelligence directly predicted knowledge sharing. The results support and extend the extant literature and provide practical implications for multinationals regarding the management of host-country nationals.