School of Psychology, Cardiff University.
Department of Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology.
J Couns Psychol. 2017 Oct;64(5):584-599. doi: 10.1037/cou0000224. Epub 2017 May 11.
Important others' perceptions influence self-perceptions. This presents a challenge for the critical developmental task of integrating all aspects of identity, as identities that are devalued or stigmatized by society are harder to own than valued ones. Across 3 studies, we tested the idea that conflictual or stigmatized identities are harder to own, or integrate into the self, than are nonconflictual ones, and we examine how receiving autonomy support for an identity-support for authentic identity exploration and expression-can facilitate ownership of that identity. Cross-sectional (n = 543), experience-sampling (n = 66), and experimental methods (n = 209) tested the dynamics of autonomy-supportive others on identity ownership. Data from these studies converge to show that conflictual identities are indeed harder to own than nonconflictual ones, but that autonomy support predicts greater ownership and psychological health, especially for conflictual identities. In the final study, we replicate these dynamics in 3 identities stigmatized by society: sexual minority, ethnic minority, and gender minority identities. Findings reveal the importance of integrating all aspects of identity-particularly those that are conflictual or stigmatized-into one's self-concept. We consider implications for counseling and clinical practice, as well as broadly for the psychological health of stigmatized individuals. (PsycINFO Database Record
重要他人的看法会影响自我认知。这给整合身份的所有方面这一关键发展任务带来了挑战，因为那些被社会贬低或污名化的身份比那些被重视的身份更难被拥有。在 3 项研究中，我们检验了这样一种观点，即冲突或污名化的身份比非冲突的身份更难被拥有或融入自我，我们还研究了为身份提供自主性支持——支持真实的身份探索和表达——如何促进对该身份的拥有。横断面研究（n=543）、经验抽样研究（n=66）和实验研究（n=209）检验了自主性支持的他人对身份拥有的动态影响。这些研究的数据汇聚表明，冲突性身份确实比非冲突性身份更难拥有，但自主性支持预测更大的拥有感和心理健康，特别是对冲突性身份而言。在最后的研究中，我们在 3 种被社会污名化的身份中复制了这些动态：性少数群体、少数民族和性别少数群体身份。研究结果揭示了将身份的所有方面——特别是那些冲突性或污名化的方面——融入自我概念的重要性。我们考虑了对咨询和临床实践的影响，以及对被污名化个体的心理健康的广泛影响。
