Beyond self-esteem: influence of multiple motives on identity construction

Perceiving a Stable Self-Concept Enables the Experience of Meaning in Life

We test the hypothesis that the perception of stability in one's self-concept (i.e., future self-continuity) enables the experience of meaning in life because perceiving a stable sense of self confers a sense of certainty to the self-concept. Study 1 provided initial evidence of the influence of future self-continuity on feelings of meaning in life (MIL) in a nationally representative sample. In Studies 2a and 2b, we manipulated future self-continuity by varying the expectedness of one's future self, demonstrating the causal influence of future self-continuity on self-certainty and feelings of MIL. Study 3 again manipulated future self-continuity, finding an indirect effect on feelings of meaning in life via self-certainty. Our findings thus suggest the experience of meaning in life arises from the perception of a stable sense of self. We discuss the implications for the antecedents and conceptualization of MIL as well as the nature of the self-concept.

Feeling valued: the interplay of assistive technology and identity

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to explore the impact of AT in identity for students with disabilities in higher education and if/how this changes over time.

METHODS

Using a longitudinal qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with students with disabilities (n = 13) in higher education in Ireland on two occasions during an academic year. A trajectory approach to longitudinal analysis was employed. This involved the use of matrices and identification of a through line for the study, which connects participant change over time.

RESULTS

The through line identified was feeling valued, which was central in the negotiation of identity over time across three themes: feelings of autonomy and competence; claiming disability; and feeling like you belong as a student. AT impacted experiences across the three themes which subsequently promoted or undermined students' sense of value. Reciprocally, feeling valued influenced use and perceptions of AT. Factors specific to a higher education context were also identified which influenced meanings attached to AT over time.

CONCLUSION

Creating an environment where students feel valued is key in promoting use of and positive perceptions of AT. This should form an integral part of AT and disability policy in higher education.

Students' 2018 PISA reading self-concept: Identifying predictors and examining model generalizability for emergent bilinguals

Decades of research have indicated that reading self-concept is an important predictor of reading achievement. During this period, the population of emergent bilinguals has continued to increase within United States' schools. However, the existing literature has tended to examine native English speakers' and emergent bilinguals' reading self-concept in the aggregate, thereby potentially obfuscating the unique pathways through which reading self-concept predicts reading achievement. Furthermore, due to the overreliance of native English speakers in samples relating to theory development, researchers attempting to examine predictors of reading achievement may a priori select variables that are more aligned with native English speakers' experiences. To address this issue, we adopted Elastic Net, which is a theoretically agnostic methodology and machine learning approach to variable selection to identify the proximal and distal predictors of reading self-concept for the entire population; in our study, participants from the United States who participated in PISA 2018 served as the baseline group to determine significant predictors of reading self-concept with the intent of identifying potential new directions for future researchers. Based on Elastic Net analysis, 20 variables at the student level, three variables at the teacher level, and 12 variables at the school level were identified as the most salient predictors of reading self-concept. We then utilized a multilevel modeling approach to test model generalizability of the identified predictors of reading self-concept for emergent bilinguals and native English speakers. We disaggregated and compared findings for both emergent bilinguals and native English speakers. Our results indicate that although some predictors were important for both groups (e.g., perceived information and communications technologies competence), other predictors were not (e.g., competitiveness). Suggestions for future directions and implications of the present study are examined.

The impostor phenomenon among doctoral students: a scoping review

Emerging evidence suggests that the Impostor Phenomenon (IP) among doctoral students is a serious problem worldwide academic. Although previous studies demonstrate that IP can endanger doctoral students' academic advancement and psychological well-being, limited studies systematically and comprehensively explore the IP among those population. Thus, the fundamental goal of this study is to conduct a scoping review of IP among doctoral students so as to clarify the reality of their situation. Systematic searches were conducted using 5 databases: Springer, Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, and JSTOR for empirical studies published from 1978 to 2023. Two reviewers independently carried out the literature search, study selection, data extraction and assessment of study; disagreements were resolved by a third reviewer. Thirty empirical studies covering four specific domains were include in current research, including the characteristics of IP among doctoral students, factors contributing to IP among doctoral students, correlation of IP with doctoral students' mental illness, and measurement of IP. The findings of this study may provide insight to improving the comprehension of IP among doctoral students and establishing the groundwork for future research in this field.

'Measuring' Collective Trauma: a Quantum Social Science Approach

In the twenty-first century the world faces the stark reality that's far from any visions of an ideal world, accompanied by an epidemic of social inequality and global injustice. Many social and global issues such as the refugee crisis, climate injustice, racism, whitism, and terrorism are rooted in serious, untreated historical traumata. These traumata have been experienced by one or more members of a family, group, or community, and may have been passed down from one generation to the next through epigenetic factors. Phenomena of collective trauma can be described more understandably through its interpretation by the quantum social science of Wendt (2016). This interpretation provides a social pathology that offers methodological recommendations (methods of treatment) for social therapy. One potential example is the collective trauma integration process (CTIP) developed by Thomas Hübl (Hübl, T. (2020). Healing Collective Trauma: a process for integrating our intergenerational and cultural wounds. Boulder: Sounds True.), which is a method to restore fragmentation by addressing and integrating individual, ancestral and collective trauma. This paper focuses on one methodological consideration for building a new culture through the integration of collective and intergenerational trauma, which is a framework based on collective trauma research in psychology, sociology, and quantum social science.

The different effects of collective narcissism and secure ingroup identity on collective action and life satisfaction among LGBTQ+ individuals

For LGBTQ+ community members, one way to cope with the discrimination they experience is through a stronger ingroup identity. However, not all types of ingroup identity may be equally beneficial to LGBTQ+ individuals. A longitudinal ( N = 1,044) and a cross-sectional ( N = 8,464) study among LGBTQ+ people in Poland demonstrated that collective narcissism was a positive predictor of group-based anger (Study 2) and had a positive reciprocal relationship with group relative deprivation (GRD; Study 1), however, it was negatively related to life satisfaction and exhibited a stronger positive link with nonnormative than normative collective action. Secure LGBTQ+ identification was not longitudinally predicted by GRD (Study 1) and showed a weaker positive association with group-based anger (Study 2). It had a reciprocal positive relationship with life satisfaction and was a stronger predictor of normative than nonnormative collective action. These results show that whereas secure ingroup identity is a clearly positive coping mechanism, the effects of collective narcissism are mixed.

Examining the Role of Body Image Instability in Young Adult Women: Conceptualization, Development, and Psychometric Evaluation of the Vacillating Body Image Scale (VBIS)

The current study conceptualized body image instability as a maladaptive tendency to vacillate between different self-perceptions of one's overall body image and developed a corresponding measure to assess body image instability. Results from a series of studies of young adult women demonstrated the validity, reliability, and utility of the Vacillating Body Image Scale (VBIS) as a meaningful measure of body image instability. In Study 1, we found that body image instability, as assessed by the VBIS, represents a unidimensional and reliable construct. In Study 2, we found evidence for both the convergent and discriminant validity of the VBIS in relation to other individual differences measures (i.e., self-concept schema, broad personality factors). In Study 3, the concurrent criterion validity of the VBIS was supported for young adult women in relation to a range of adjustment measures. Finally, in Study 4, we found consistent evidence for the incremental validity of the VBIS in predicting subsequent variations in eating disturbances, even after controlling for global self-esteem and self-concept instability. Overall, our findings offer promising support for our contention that body image instability, as measured by the VBIS, represents an important construct for understanding eating-related disturbances and other health outcomes in young adult women.

Multicultural Identity Integration versus Compartmentalization as Predictors of Subjective Well-Being for Third Culture Kids: The Mediational Role of Self-Concept Consistency and Self-Efficacy

Globalization has resulted in an exponential increase in the number of Third Culture Kids (TCKs), defined as being raised in a culture other than that of their parents (or the passport country) and meaningfully interacting with different cultures. Inconsistencies regarding the effect of multicultural and transient experiences on well-being exist in the psychological literature. We aimed to reveal associations between multicultural identity configurations (integration, categorization, compartmentalization) and well-being with the mediating role of self-concept consistency and self-efficacy. Participants (n = 399, M = 21.2 years) were students at an international university in the United Arab Emirates. We used the Multicultural Identity Integration Scale, the Berne Questionnaire of Subjective Well-Being, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Self-Consistency Subscale from the Self-Construal Scale. The findings suggest that not merely exposure to diversity but also internal integration versus identity compartmentalization moderate the well-being of TCKs. We explained such mechanisms via partial mediation of self-consistency and self-efficacy. Our study contributed to a better understanding of the TCKs' identity paradigm and pointed to multicultural identity integration as vital to TCKs' well-being via its effect on self-consistency and self-efficacy. Conversely, identity compartmentalization decreased well-being via a reduction in the sense of self-consistency.

Self-Continuity

Self-continuity is the subjective sense of connection between one's past and present selves (past-present self-continuity), between one's present and future selves (present-future self-continuity), or among one's past, present, and future selves (global self-continuity). We consider the motivational character of the three forms of self-continuity, their regulatory properties, and the internal or external factors that consolidate them. We also review their consequences for attitudes and judgments or decisions, motivation, intentions and behavior, and psychological and physical health. We further detail the psychological and behavioral benefits of self-discontinuity (i.e., a sense of disconnect among temporal selves). We next turn to the brain regions that are activated synchronously with self-continuity. We consider developmental perspectives on self-continuity, discuss collective self-continuity (along with its consequences and regulatory properties), and elaborate on cultural differences in self-continuity. This inaugural Annual Reviews chapter demonstrates the breadth, excitement, and sense of synergy among self-continuity researchers and points to promising research directions.

Motivation Scale for Using Social Network Sites: Comparative Study between Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and LinkedIn

The increasing number of Social Network Sites (SNSs) and their changing nature raise the question of why people use them. This research has a twofold objective: first, to develop a motivation scale for using SNSs; second, to compare the motivational SNSs profile of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and LinkedIn. Two studies on 364 university students, using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, established six motivations: entertainment, social interaction, seeking information, instrumental use, self-documentation and self-enhancement. Regressions then examined the association between motivations for using SNSs, social influence measures (descriptive and injunctive norms), and frequency of use of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and LinkedIn. The results showed that social norms complement the motivations to use SNSs. Twitter use was associated with an information-seeking SNSs motivational profile. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram were associated with self-documentation on SNSs. Snapchat was rather associated with instrumental motivations on SNSs. However, while all SNSs were associated with descriptive norms, only Facebook and LinkedIn were associated with injunctive norms (i.e., peer pressure). The results are discussed by applying a cross-media perspective to new motives behind SNSs use.

The Effect of Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy and Entrepreneurial Self-Identity on Entrepreneurial Goal Intentions of Female and Male College Students in Zimbabwe

This article investigated how entrepreneurial self-identity and self-efficacy interact to affect the entrepreneurial goal intentions of a sample of female and male college students in Zimbabwe. Researchers are urged to examine these factors’ combined influence, given that earlier studies looked at their effects separately. To achieve the research goal, a cross-sectional survey using a self-completion questionnaire on a convenience sample of 262 respondents was conducted in Zimbabwe among college students. The results confirmed that entrepreneurial self-identity and self-efficacy had statistically significant direct effects on the intention to pursue an entrepreneurial goal. They also confirmed that the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial goal intention was mediated by entrepreneurial self-identity. The study, however, found no statistically significant differences in the pattern of results between males and females. The study adds to the body of knowledge by proposing and testing a conceptual model that has never been considered before. The findings of the study have implications for the formulation of interventions and policies aimed at promoting entrepreneurship.

Chemsex, Identity and Sexual Health among Gay and Bisexual Men

This article focuses on some of the social, cultural and psychological aspects of drug use in sexualized settings in gay and bisexual men (referred to as "chemsex"). Using a narrative review approach, the article examines previous empirical research in this area and presents a novel theoretical approach for understanding and predicting chemsex behavior. Tenets of identity process theory from social psychology are drawn upon to offer an integrative theoretical framework within which the social, cultural and psychological underpinnings of chemsex can be collectively examined. Existing empirical research suggests that gay and bisexual men may experience sexuality-related stressors that can undermine feelings of self-esteem, self-efficacy, continuity and positive distinctiveness. Identity process theory examines how individuals react to threats to identity brought about by these stressors. In response to identity threat, gay and bisexual men may engage in chemsex as a coping response that encompasses and facilitates various, largely maladaptive, coping strategies and tactics. The more chemsex is perceived as enhancing identity processes and as averting identity threat, the more central it is likely to be to the identities of participants. The centrality of chemsex to one's identity may preclude self-withdrawal from the practice. Several directions for future research are presented based on existing work on chemsex viewed through the lens of identity process theory. These should form the basis of future empirical research in the sphere of sexual health among gay and bisexual men and the outcomes of this research should inform policy and practice in this area.

Exploring purchase intentions of new energy vehicles: Do "mianzi" and green peer influence matter?

New energy vehicle is an innovative means of transportation, and its development has been widely concerned all over the world. However, few studies investigate the purchase intention of new energy vehicles (NEVs) from the perspective of combining altruism and cultural factors. Based on the extended norm activation model (NAM), this study explores the influencing factors of NEVs' purchasing intention and the moderating effects of "mianzi" and green peer influence. According to 302 valid questionnaires, the results indicated that the extended NAM model is useful in predicting consumer purchasing behavior with an improved explanatory power in purchase intentions of NEVs from 15 to 26%. The awareness of consequences, the ascription of responsibility, and green self-identity have a positive impact on the personal norm. Personal norm and green self-identity are positively associated with purchase intention. "Mianzi" and green peer influence positively moderate the relationship between green self-identity and intention to purchase. The findings give new insights into the impact of cultural factors on purchasing NEVs and profound suggestions for policymakers and enterprises to promote the development of NEVs.

Systematic cross-cultural management education: a quasi-experimental analysis of guided experiential learning during intercultural simulations

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to test the effects of a classical intercultural simulation on participants' ability to modify their behavior in response to collectivistic and individualistic contexts. Moreover, the paper aims to examine moderating effects based on experiential learning and social identity theory.

Design/methodology/approach

The learning effects are evaluated through two separate quasi-experimental studies with 152 master students in business economics at a Danish university and 190 bachelor students in international business at a German university.

Findings

The analysis shows that intercultural simulations with artificial cultures significantly improve participants' ability to modify their behavior depending on cultural context. Participants who identify with an artificial culture that differs radically from their own take greater advantage of the simulation. The overall duration of international experience moderates participants' learning with a U-shaped effect. Culture-specific experience strengthens the positive effect of the simulation. The comparison of the two conducted studies indicates that previous cognitive teaching enhances learning.

Practical implications

The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of intercultural simulations that guide participants through all phases of the experiential learning cycle. Moreover, they underline the importance of assessing participants' cultural backgrounds before the assignment of training groups.

Originality/value

Prior research on intercultural simulations is often based on qualitative methods and mostly limited to affective outcomes, such as motivation and enjoyment of intercultural interactions. By contrast, this paper quantitatively tests to what extent intercultural simulations improve participants' ability to modify behavior depending on culture.

Beyond the Choice of What You Put in Your Mouth: A Systematic Mapping Review of Veganism and Vegan Identity

In recent years, and in the current climate crisis, the interest in veganism and sustainable diet/lifestyle has increased. This growing interest can also be seen within academia. Therefore, we set out to systematically document and organize the social psychological literature on veganism and vegan identity to identify where the field currently is, and what we need to do next. Following PRISMA guidelines we identified a data set of 26 academic papers published between 2010 and 2021. Through a thematic analysis of the data, we created four categories of study focus and content: (1) vegans as a disadvantaged/stigmatized group, (2) the role of ideology in negative attitudes toward vegans, (3) the role of moral and ethical beliefs in changing or sustaining dietary preferences, and (4) veganism as a social movement and vegan activism. Our analysis emphasizes issues with merging all non-meat eaters, reduction of veganism into dietary or lifestyle choices neglecting the politicized content and movement, lack of processes underlying emergence and endurance of veganism, and decontextualization of vegan identity. What is needed is a more fine-grained exploration that addresses the identified issues to account for the content of vegan identity. This would expand, for example, the motives literature to include and emphasize intersectionality in a vegan identity context. Specifically, to facilitate a more sustainable lifestyle, the content of social dimensions needs to be qualitatively explored.

Understanding the Relative Impact of Dual Identification on Brand Loyalty on Social Media: The Regulatory Fit Perspective in Different Cultures

This study explorers whether the relative impacts of brand identification and identification with other users of brand pages on brand loyalty vary according to consumers' regulatory focus. By integrating social identification theory with regulatory focus theory, this study adopts a dual identification framework to compare the differential impacts of promotion regulatory fit and prevention regulatory fit on brand loyalty. Besides, the moderating effects of product type on the relationship between promotion/prevention regulatory fit and brand loyalty are further investigated. Finally, this study uses different combinations of information technology (IT) affordances in order to examine their influences on each identification target. The current study adopts a qualitative methodology and involved conducting semi-structured interviews with 27 brand page users in regard to IT affordances and their subdimensions. The research model was empirically tested using a cross-country comparison of data collected from surveys conducted in China and the United States. The results support our hypotheses and confirm the differential effects of promotion and prevention regulatory fit on brand loyalty. Theoretically, our study enhances our understanding of the relative effect of dual identification on brand loyalty on social media. Practically, our study delivers insights for companies into how social media brand pages can be used as a strategic tool to achieve brand values.

Multiple Identifications of Employees in an Organization: Salience and Relationships of Foci and Dimensions

This research addresses: (1) the salience of employees' social (organizational, sub-organizational, group, micro-group), interpersonal, and personal identifications and their dimensions (cognitive and affective); (2) and the relationship and structure of the identifications of employees in different areas of professional activity. The study was conducted on independent samples of employees in the socio-economic sphere (241 participants), in the law enforcement agency (265), and in higher education (172). To assess the respective identification foci and dimensions, the study employed four questionnaires. The personal identification was the weakest and the micro-group identification was the strongest for both dimensions in all samples. The affective dimension prevails over the cognitive in all identifications, except for interpersonal. Social identifications were significantly positively correlated to each other in all samples whereas personal identification was significantly negatively correlated with all social identifications (on the affective dimension) in two samples. The results expand our understanding of the identifications of employees in organizations.

On the Role of Teachers' Professional Identity and Well-Being in Their Professional Development

In the former 20 years, professional identity has arisen as a different study domain in the area of language instruction and education. Educators' professional identity frames educators' explanation of their functions, academic changes, and alterations in syllabi, class exercises, utilization of approaches and strategies, and their connection to other problems in the academic setting. Also, well-being is one of the elements in which its influence and connection with identity are noted in various studies. However, their roles in professional development have not been examined; hence, this review of literature aimed to investigate the role of these constructs in professional development which is regarded as a noteworthy aspect of teacher quality. In a nutshell, some implications are proposed for the scholastic stakeholders.

Relationship of Work-Related Stress and Offline Social Leisure on Political Participation of Voters in the United States

In the United States (US), citizens’ political participation is 15%. Contemporary psychological models explaining political participation are based on education and socioeconomic status, which are unable to explain the overall low political participation figures. The study suggests a holistic approach, with two societal tendencies: increasing work-related stress and diminishing offline social leisure, together with a mediating effect of participatory efficacy to assess associations with the political participation of US voters. The quantitative correlational study uses structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis on the General Social Survey representative sample of US voters (N = 295, Mage = 44.49, SD = 13.43), controlled for education and socioeconomic status. Work-related stress was not significantly associated with political participation (β = 0.08, p = 0.09). Offline social leisure was positively associated with political participation (β = 0.28, p < 0.001). The mediating effect of participatory efficacy on the relationship between offline social leisure and political participation was positive and significant (β = 0.05, p < 0.001). Additional analyses, regression and SEM on the European Social Survey sample (N = 27,604) boosted internal and external validity. Results indicate that offline social leisure is more predictive than education and socioeconomic status, showing that examining societal trends leads to a better understanding of political participation.

Dynamics of Organizational Identification in the Wake of a Foreign Acquisition

Foreign acquisitions are perceived as threats to organizational identification. Consequently, they trigger members’ sensemaking on their relationship with the organization. Analyzing these sensemaking processes is fundamental to understanding how members interpret identity-threatening events and which logics and motives underlie their identification. We conducted interviews with 28 members of a German company that had been acquired by a Chinese competitor. The study reveals three phases of sensemaking about identification, namely assessment of uncertainty, evaluation of organizational continuity, and reassessment of the organization’s potential for self-enhancement. Initially, concerns for uncertainty reduction are prevalent. Needs for continuity, distinctiveness, and self-verification dominate continuity evaluation. In the last phase, members seek continuous self-enhancement. They hereby evaluate whether they still share the organization's ideology. Furthermore, they reassess the benefits they receive from the organization. The study constitutes a dynamic extension of identification theory. It uncovers salient identification motives and members’ causal reasoning during different sensemaking phases.

Entrepreneurial Passion and Entrepreneurial Success-The Role of Psychological Capital and Entrepreneurial Policy Support

Entrepreneurship success is the ultimate goal pursued by entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurial passion is also considered an indispensable and important element on the road to entrepreneurial success. However, the internal influence mechanism of entrepreneurial passion on entrepreneurial success is still insufficient in academic circles. In view of this, based on the theory of social information processing, this research analyses the internal mechanism of entrepreneurial passion through individual psychological capital on entrepreneurial success and the promotion of external entrepreneurial policy support. Through a multi-time and multi-source questionnaire survey of 455 entrepreneurs in entrepreneurship parks and entrepreneurship centers in Wuhan, Guangdong, Shanghai, and other places, the research results show that entrepreneurial passion can increase individual psychological capital and positively affect entrepreneurial success; psychological capital mediates the relationship between individual entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial success. Entrepreneurship policy support at the environmental level can promote the effect of entrepreneurial passion on the accumulation of psychological capital, and promote the transformation of entrepreneurial passion into entrepreneurial success through psychological capital. The above research results are helpful to the accumulation of entrepreneurs' psychological capital and provide a useful reference for entrepreneurial success.

Normative based beliefs as a basis for perceived changes in personality traits across the lifespan

This article presents a new framework for understanding how people think personality changes across the life span. In two studies we examined the correspondence among how people thought their personalities would change, how people in general change, and changes found in a meta-analysis of changes in personality. We conceptualized and measured personality in terms of the Big Five model (FFM). In Study 1 participants rated either how they had changed from the past to the present or how they would change from the present to the future. We found that for openness to experience and social vitality participants thought these traits had increased from the past to the present, whereas participants did not think they would change from the present to the future. In contrast, participants thought that conscientiousness, agreeableness, and emotional stability would increase from the present to the future, although they did not report changes in most of these traits from the past to the present. The changes that occurred in Study 1 correspond to changes of personality found in previous research. In Study 2 participants rated themselves and other people on the FFM traits for each of nine intervals representing the lifespan. We found that people perceived changes in themselves to be similar to the changes found in meta-analyses, and perceptions of change in the self-corresponded to perception of changes for others. We believe these results can be explained by recognizing that people share normative based beliefs about how people change at certain age. Nevertheless, we also found that people perceived themselves as better than others, i.e., relatively greater increases in some positive traits and relatively smaller decreases in some negative traits, being first among equals. We discuss possible explanations for this phenomenon, which according to our knowledge, has not been discussed in this context previously.

Socio-economic inequalities in social network, loneliness and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a focus on isolation and loneliness is important, especially as social distancing policies (which for some groups involve self-isolation or quarantine) are likely to accentuate these experiences and affect mental health.

AIMS

This study focuses on socio-economic inequalities in social network, loneliness and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Two-hundred and fourteen residents of Wandsworth, a South West London Borough in the United Kingdom completed an online cross-sectional survey on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. Data were analysed using independent samples t-tests and multiple regression.

RESULTS

Middle-aged people reported a less strong social network and more loneliness, anxiety and depression than younger people. People with a long-term health condition reported a less strong social network, more loneliness, more general practitioner (GP) and hospital visits, and poorer mental health than those with no long-term health conditions. People receiving State financial benefits reported less use of public spaces, a less strong social network, more loneliness, more GP and hospital visits and poorer mental health than those not receiving benefits. Greater neighbourhood identification was associated with a stronger social network and better mental health outcomes. Multiple regression analyses showed that, over and above loneliness, perceived personal risk of COVID-19 constitutes an additional precipitant for both depression and anxiety when controlling for other variables.

CONCLUSION

As a novel stressor associated with the pandemic, the situational and involuntary perception of being at risk of COVID-19 may be stimulating anxiety and depressive symptomatology, which will need to be managed effectively as resurgences of the disease are predicted and communicated to the general public under growing mistrust and uncertainty.

The Generative Mechanism of Boomerang Intention: From the Perspective of Legacy Identification

Boomerang employment has become an increasingly significant third way to obtain employees, yet little research has focused on why does ex-employee want to come back. Drawing from social identity theory, we propose that legacy identification could increase boomerang intention and both perceived corporate prestige and psychological contract violation could affect boomerang intention through legacy identification. The cooperative relationship between the former organization and the current organization could enhance these effects. Results from a two-time points survey of 202 Chinese employees showed that legacy identification could increase boomerang intention, perceived corporate prestige could increase boomerang intention via legacy identification, psychological contract violation could decrease boomerang intention via legacy identification. Besides, the positive effect of legacy identification on boomerang intention, the positive indirect effect of corporate prestige on boomerang intention via legacy identification, and the negative indirect effect of psychological contract violation on boomerang intention via legacy identification are all stronger when there is a cooperative relationship. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Personal condition but social cure: Agentic ingroups elevate well-being in chronically ill patients through perceptions of personal control

OBJECTIVES

Social-cure research has shown that ingroup identification can be beneficial for personal health and well-being. Initial evidence for healthy participants suggests that this might be due to group membership providing a sense of personal control. In this research, we investigate this pathway for chronically ill patients, assuming that any ingroup (even patient identity) can serve as social cure by increasing control as long as the ingroup is perceived as agentic (i.e., effective).

DESIGN

We conducted six correlational field studies with patients suffering from different chronic conditions, e.g., cancer (N_total  = 795).

METHODS

All participants were asked about one specific ingroup, e.g., their self-help group. Our main measures were ingroup identification, ingroup agency, personal control and well-being, as well as self-esteem and social support (both discussed as alternative mediators). We performed simple mediation and/or moderated mediation analyses for each study and across studies (merging Studies 2-6).

RESULTS

Overall, the impact of ingroup identification on personal well-being was uniquely mediated via personal control (Studies 1, 2, 3, 6) but, as expected, only for those perceiving their ingroup as highly agentic (Studies 4, 5, 6).

CONCLUSIONS

Ingroup agency is a boundary condition for the control-based pathway of the social cure effect supporting the model of group-based control. This has practical implications for clinical interventions with chronically ill patients.

"Beyond the Rink": A Multilevel Analysis of Social Identity Behaviors Captured Using the Electronically Activated Recorder

This study used ecological sampling methods to examine associations between youth athletes' experiences receiving and engaging in behaviors indicative of in-group ties, cognitive centrality, and in-group affect (i.e., social identity) during a 3-day competitive ice hockey tournament. Forty-five youth (Mage = 12.39 years; SDage = 1.14 years; 94% male) from nine teams wore an electronically activated recorder that captured brief (50-s) audio observations throughout the tournament. Participants also completed daily diary questionnaires for each day of competition. Multilevel structural equation modeling demonstrated that athletes were more likely to engage in behaviors indicative of in-group affect and cognitive centrality on days when they received as higher-than-average frequency of behaviors indicative of cognitive centrality from teammates, coaches, and parents. The findings suggest that when team members interact in ways that demonstrate they are thinking about their team, they influence fellow members to behave in ways that promote a sense of "us."

What do people find most meaningful? How representations of the self and the world provide meaning in life

OBJECTIVE

Recent theories propose that global meaning in life (MIL) is based on feelings of coherence, purpose, and existential mattering. MIL has also been linked to mental representations-for example, beliefs, values, attitudes, and identities-that serve as "meaning frameworks" for interpreting the world and oneself. Combining these proposals, we predicted that beliefs, values, attitudes, and identities would foster a sense of MIL to the extent that they provide feelings of coherence, purpose, and existential mattering.

METHOD

Using multilevel path analysis, we tested within-person associations of coherence, purpose, and existential mattering with a sense of MIL across three studies (Study 1:208 US MTurk workers; Study 2:106 UK university students; Study 3:296 from a UK nationally representative Prolific sample). We explored the generality of these associations across mental representation types and individual differences.

RESULTS

Participants derived greater MIL most strongly from mental representations that provided sense of purpose, followed by existential mattering. Sense of coherence was less robustly related to MIL across mental representation types and religious orientation.

CONCLUSIONS

Integrating prior theorizing on MIL, we conclude that mental representations function as "meaning frameworks" to the extent that they provide feelings of purpose, mattering, and, sometimes, coherence.

Exploring the Relations Between Social Support and Social Identity in Adolescent Male Athletes

Purpose: Social identity (i.e., the strength with which individuals identify with a group) is a key mechanism through which youth sport participants derive developmental benefits. However, despite the importance of one's social identity in promoting these benefits, our understanding of the correlates of social identity within the sport context is limited by the absence of evidence. To address this gap, this study investigated the relations between perceived social support from coaches, family, and friends and social identification. Method: Male adolescent athletes (N = 344) completed measures of social support and social identity as part of a cross-sectional design. Latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct social support profiles. Results: Four latent profiles were identified: higher support, average support, diminished support, and lower support. ANCOVA results indicated that profile membership corresponded to significant differences in social identity perceptions, p < .001, partial η² = .26. Participants in the higher social support profile perceived significantly higher social identity when compared with profiles of average, diminished, and lower support (ps < .05, Cohen's d ≥.67). Conclusion: Results highlight the association between support from different social agents and social identity in youth sport. Better understanding the correlates of social identity may be critical in enhancing the developmental benefits of participation in organized team sports given the relationship with social identity.

Disentangling national and religious identification as predictors of support for religious minority rights among Christian majority groups

It is often assumed that, in Western societies, Christian values are embedded in national identities, yet, the association between religious identities and prejudice has seldom been studied in parallel to national identity. According to both the social identity theory approach and integrated threat theory, group identification is important for perceiving threats and expressing corresponding attitudes. Nevertheless, their independent roles on intergroup outcomes have often been ignored, although they are two of the most salient and important identities when considering support for religious minority rights. We address this gap in research by looking at the associations of religious identity with support for religious minority rights in general and Muslims in particular in parallel to national identity through diversity threat. This study was conducted among the members of majority groups in four Western countries: Australia, Finland, Germany, and Norway (N = 1,532), all of which are characterised as traditionally Christian. We found that a higher religious identification was associated with greater support for religious minority rights in general and for those of Muslims in particular, while national identification had no direct association with support for either groups' religious rights. However, both group identifications were also associated with heightened perceived diversity threat, which in turn, predicted reluctance to support religious minority rights. This demonstrates the dual role that religious identities may play in intergroup relations.

How do ambidextrous leadership and self-efficacy influence employees' enterprise system use: an empirical study of customer relationship management system context

Purpose

Based on leadership and self-efficacy theories, this study investigates how team-level ambidextrous leadership influences employees' enterprise system (ES) use via their self-efficacy.

Design/methodology/approach

This study collected data from a cross-sectional survey including 218 employees working in 56 workgroups in a Chinese financial institution. The authors used a cross-level mediation analysis to test the research model.

Findings

The authors find that ambidextrous leadership influences employees' creative self-efficacy and performance self-efficacy and further improves employees' ES use. Moreover, creative self-efficacy mediates the relationship between ambidextrous leadership and explorative use, whereas performance self-efficacy mediates the relationship between ambidextrous leadership and both explorative and exploitative use.

Originality/value

This study first examines the relationships among ambidextrous leadership, self-efficacy and employees' ES use by developing a cross-level model. Furthermore, by considering ambidextrous leadership as an important team-level factor, this study extends a deeper understanding of ambidexterity theory of leadership in the ES context. In addition, our study extends self-efficacy theory by examining the mediating roles of the two types of self-efficacy (i.e. performance self-efficacy and creative self-efficacy) on ambidextrous leadership–ES use relationship.

Medical student wellness in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic: a nationwide survey

BACKGROUND

As United States (US) medical students suffer higher rates of depression and anxiety than the general population, the wellness of medical students is particularly salient. One definition describes wellness as having eight dimensions: Intellectual, emotional, physical, social, occupational, financial, environmental, and spiritual. As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic poses unique challenges for medical students, we aimed to compare medical student wellness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

An informal survey was created to assess eight wellness dimensions and was distributed via Survey Monkey to US allopathic and osteopathic medical students via email and social media. The survey was administered from March 29, 2020 to June 23, 2020. Univariable and multivariable linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate the change in students' overall wellness using an 11-point scale ranging from 0 (least well) to 10 (most well). Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate the change in students' responses to the eight dimensions before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

On multivariable analysis, students reported a decline in their overall wellness during COVID-19 (M_diff = -1.08; p < .001). Asian respondents reported little change in overall wellness (M = -0.65) when compared to White respondents (M = -1.16) and Black respondents (M = -1.57). Students felt less supported and comfortable with their social (OR = 0.47) and daily (OR = 0.45) environments and expressed decreased satisfaction with their exercise (OR = 0.85), sense of purpose (OR = 0.33), and financial status (OR = 0.75). Students also expressed lower confidence (OR = 0.15) and satisfaction (OR = 0.11) with their medical education and increased anxiety (OR = 3.37) and depression (OR = 2.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Medical students reported declines in overall wellness and individual wellness dimensions. These findings can be used to implement changes to improve medical student wellness.

Defensa de la visión del mundo y motivos identitarios ante la saliencia de mortalidad y la religión en Lima

Justificación. La Teoría del Manejo del Terror (TMT) propone que la saliencia de mortalidad (SM) produce estados de ansiedad que las personas afrontan con la Defensa de la Visión del Mundo (DVM) y la adhesión a Motivos Identitarios (MI). Objetivo. Analizar el efecto de la SM en la DVM y los MI en católicos y ateos de Lima (Perú). Método. Se desarrolló un diseño cuasiexperimental, intersujetos, 2 x 2 [Condición: Experimental vs. Control X Grupo de Creencia: Católicos (n = 30) vs. Ateos (n = 32)]. Los participantes de la condición experimental fueron expuestos a la SM y los de la condición control no, respondiendo posteriormente a cuestionarios de DVM y MI. Resultados. No existen diferencias en la DVM y los MI por condición, ni por la interacción entre condición y grupo de creencia. Sin embargo, analizando las diferencias por grupo de creencia, los ateos muestran mayor DVM y los católicos mayores niveles en los MI de Pertenencia y Continuidad. Discusión. Los hallazgos sobre los efectos de la SM en las variables dependientes son consistentes con resultados en contextos no anglosajones. Adicionalmente, las diferencias entre grupos de creencia se discuten desde un marco de relaciones intergrupales en el contexto peruano.

Online self-presentation and identity development: The moderating effect of neuroticism

Using social media, which provides ways to socialize and present oneself, has become normal for young people. Although previous research shows that self-presentation via social media is associated with a sense of identity, little attention has been given to the association with identity-development processes. Therefore, the present study examined these associations while controlling for offline self-presentation and tested the potential moderating effect of neuroticism. A sample of 647 Japanese young adults (401 women; Mean _age  = 22.70; SD _age  = 3.25) were recruited to complete an online questionnaire, including measures of identity-development processes, online and offline self-presentation, and neuroticism. A correlation analysis revealed that identity-development processes were associated with online surface-level self-presentation (SSP) but not online inner-level self-presentation (ISP). Further, a moderated regression analysis indicated that the negative associations between online ISP and identity processes were only found among those high in neuroticism. The results of this study suggest that neuroticism may produce variations in young people's identity development.

How Does Nostalgia Conduce to Global Self-Continuity? The Roles of Identity Narrative, Associative Links, and Stability

In five studies (N = 1,074), we examined the relation-both correlational and causal-between nostalgia, a sentimental longing for one's past, and global self-continuity (GSC), a sense of connection among past, present, and future selves. Furthermore, we addressed mechanisms underlying this relation. We asked, in particular, whether nostalgic individuals might achieve GSC by constructing a narrative to give meaning to life transitions (narrative), connecting to the past (associative links), or believing in a self that is resistant to change (stability). Nostalgia predicted (Studies 1-3) and caused (Studies 4 and 5) GSC. The relation between nostalgia and GSC was consistently mediated by narrative, sporadically mediated by associative links, and unmediated by stability. The robust indirect effect via narrative remained significant when controlling for rumination (Study 3). We discuss theoretical and practical implications.

Social support, perceived risk and the likelihood of COVID-19 testing and vaccination: cross-sectional data from the United Kingdom

Two samples of 227 and 214 adults completed surveys of social support, perceived risk of COVID-19 and COVID-19 preventive activity - in Study 1 likelihood of testing was examined and in Study 2 likelihood of both testing and vaccination were examined during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Path analysis showed, in Study 1, that access to help (as an indicator of social support) had a direct effect on likelihood of testing and indirect effects through self-efficacy, perceived risk and preventive behavior; and, in Study 2, that neighborhood identification (as an indicator of social support) had a direct effect on likelihood of testing and indirect effects on likelihood of both testing and vaccination through the mediators of strength of social network, loneliness, perceived risk of COVID-19, and preventive activity. Both studies suggest that level of social support (conceptualized in different ways) is an important determinant of COVID-19 testing and Study 2 shows it is also a determinant of likelihood of vaccination. As resurgences of COVID-19 occur, it will be necessary to monitor the likelihood of COVID-19 testing and vaccination behaviors and, especially, to promote confidence in the latter in individuals with decreased access to social support.

Effects of Value Perception, Environmental Regulation and Their Interaction on the Improvement of Herdsmen's Grassland Ecological Policy Satisfaction

Sustainable utilization of grassland resources was an important topic concerned by worldwide countries and regions, and ecological compensation had gradually become the main policy tool for grassland environmental management and ecological protection. This study adopted face-to-face interviews and questionnaires, and multiordered Logit model was then used to explore herdsmen’s satisfaction with Grassland Ecological Conservation Subsidy and Reward Policy (GECSRP) focusing on identifying the key factors behind it. Results showed that herdsmen were not satisfied with GECSRP on the whole, while value perception, environmental regulation and their interaction played a positive role on improving the satisfaction. Specifically, economic benefits had the strongest promotion impacts, followed by social identity in the two-dimensional variables of value perception. The guiding regulation had stronger promoting impacts, followed by the incentive regulation in the two-dimensional variables of environmental regulation. Interestingly, incentive regulation played an enhanced interaction on the influence of economic benefits and environmental value on herdsmen’s satisfaction, yet the interaction between guiding regulation and environmental value was not significant. These indicated that herdsmen paid more attention to substantial subsidies and rewards in the process of ecological livestock husbandry, and environmental regulation formulated by government had a phenomenon of “relative system failure”. Thus, the grassland ecological environment policy should be further adjusted and improved to promote the economic development of pastoral areas.

Compliance and Self-Reporting During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Cultural Study of Trust and Self-Conscious Emotions in the United States, Italy, and South Korea

The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented health crisis. Many governments around the world have responded by implementing lockdown measures of various degrees of intensity. To be effective, these measures must rely on citizens' cooperation. In the present study, we drew samples from the United States (N = 597), Italy (N = 606), and South Korea (N = 693) and examined predictors of compliance with social distancing and intentions to report the infection to both authorities and acquaintances. Data were collected between April 6th and 8th 2020. We investigated the role of cultural orientations of horizontal and vertical individualism and collectivism, self-conscious emotions of shame and guilt related to the infection and trust in the government's action. Across all countries, vertical collectivism (VC) predicted stronger shame, whereas horizontal collectivism predicted stronger trust in the government. Only in the United States, VC was associated with stronger trust. Stronger feelings of shame predicted lower compliance and intentions to report the infection to both authorities and acquaintances. In contrast, guilt was associated with stronger intentions to report the infection to the authorities. Finally, trust was associated with stronger compliance and intentions to report the infection to the authorities. Unlike Italy and South Korea, the association between trust on compliance was not statistically significant in the United States, implications of the findings, and directions for future research are discussed.

Staying grounded! Organizational identification and perceived control during crises

Purpose

Organizational identification could play an important role during crises if it contributes to individuals' perceptions of control. This study examines this relationship and unpacks some of its complexities by investigating the mediating role of job satisfaction and citizenship behaviors that have previously been examined as outcomes of organizational identification in noncrisis contexts. The authors also investigate the moderating role of the perceived severity of the crisis on the relationships between organizational identification and job satisfaction and citizenship behaviors. There is limited empirical research on these relationships in a crisis context, and studying them is important for understanding the role of identification in diverse contexts and for crisis management research and practice.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the survey method, quantitative data were collected from 354 individuals from a nonprofit organization that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This was supplemented with qualitative data from respondents' comments in the survey.

Findings

Using process analysis, the authors find the following: (1) job satisfaction fully mediates the relationship between organizational identification and perceived control; (2) the perceived severity of the crisis moderates the relationship between organizational identification and job satisfaction; (3) citizenship behavior is associated with organizational identification but is not a significant mediator in the relationship between organizational identification and perceived control and (4) the perceived severity of the crisis is not a significant moderator of the relationship between organizational identification and citizenship behaviors.

Research limitations/implications

This study’s model can be further tested in public and private organizations that are experiencing bankruptcies to examine the robustness of our findings. Also, due to the cross-sectional design of this study, the findings need to be tested in a longitudinal study to examine if they persist over time during the recovery and growth phases of a crisis.

Practical implications

Leaders can rely on individuals who identify with their organizations during a crisis, such as bankruptcies because they experience job satisfaction and a sense of control. Additionally, these individuals also demonstrate citizenship behaviors in these challenging situations.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to empirically examine the association between organizational identification and perceived control, the mediating role of job satisfaction and citizenship behaviors and the moderating role of perceived severity in the context of an organizational crisis. An additional strength of this study is that it provides empirical evidence from individuals in an actual crisis rather than from laboratory studies.