Evaluating Models of Identity Motivation: Self-Esteem is Not the Whole Story

By Vivian L. Vignoles, X. Chryssochoou, G. Breakwell. 2002

108 citations recorded by the source corpus.

We tested the importance of motivational principles of maintaining self-esteem, distinctiveness, continuity and efficacy (Breakwell, 1993), as well as feelings of purpose and closeness to others, in shaping the perceived centrality of multiple elements of identity among Anglican parish priests. Participants (N = 149) generated identity elements and rated them for perceived centrality and satisfaction of each principle. Comparing multilevel regression models, satisfaction of the self-esteem principle predicted an estimated 32.5%, the four predictors of Breakwell's model 49.7%, and all six predictors 54.6% of the variance within participants in perceived centrality of the identity elements (all p < .001). We argue that distinctiveness, continuity, and efficacy should be given equal theoretical consideration to self-esteem as motives guiding identity processes (cf. Abrams & Hogg, 1988; Brewer, 1991; Deaux, 1993; Sedikides & Strube, 1997).

Subfields: Gender Studies, Social Psychology, Sociology and Political Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/c27d52213ab4cd463c46706a40d12ba1dcb29315

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In Gender Studies

Vivian L. Vignoles

In Social Psychology

In Sociology and Political Science

Citations in the corpus

Perceptions of ‘coming out’ among British Muslim gay men (2011, background): “Extending IPT, Vignoles and colleagues (Vignoles et al., 2002; Vignoles et al., 2006) have proposed two additional identity ‘motives’, namely belonging, which refers to the need to maintain feelings of closeness to and acceptance by other people, and meaning, which refers to the need to find signifi”
The Distinctiveness Principle: Identity, Meaning, and the Bounds of Cultural Relativity (2000, background): “Furthermore, we have found in research into identity processes among Anglican parish priests (Vignoles et al., 2000) that the level of distinctiveness associated with items of self-description is a significant predictor of their perceived centrality within subjective identity structures after…”
Self-identity threat and resistance to change: Evidence from regular travel behaviour (2012, background): “Building from Breakwell‟s theory, it can be suggested that deflection strategies, in defence of the self under threat, may result in resistance to change.”
Beyond self-esteem: influence of multiple motives on identity construction. (2006, methodology): “Vignoles et al. (2002a) used this logic to compare models of identity motivation among a sample of U.K. Anglican parish priests.”