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Identity Theory

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Handbook of Social Psychology

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Abstract

Identity theory has developed into an important theoretical framework within sociological social psychology. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the central ideas within the theory such as identity verification and identity salience, the different methodological approaches (survey and laboratory research) that have been used to study identities, and how to measure key concepts. We also review the substantive issues that have advanced the theory such as multiple identities and the role of emotions in the identity process, as well as how the theory has been applied to other sociological areas of investigation such as violence research and the sociology of education. Finally, we discuss substantive areas for future work such as the study of identity formation and change, and we look to how identity theory can be advanced by linking it to other social psychological theories such as affect control theory, expectations states theory, and social identity theory.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The purpose of laboratory research is to discover law-like patterns. The intent is to test theoretical relationships under carefully controlled conditions rather than generalize to the natural setting.

  2. 2.

    For more detailed information on identity measures, see Burke and Stets (2009).

  3. 3.

    Some researchers have used the actual appraisals of others as a proxy of reflected appraisals (Burke & Harrod, 2005; Burke & Stets, 1999). The idea is that others will communicate their views, individuals will perceive these views, and then they will infer that this is what the other thinks of them. However, others may selectively communicate some views (such as positive views) and not others (such as negative views) (Felson, 1980). Even if others communicate their views accurately, this information may be ignored, distorted, or rejected (Stets & Harrod, 2004).

  4. 4.

    However short or long the duration in an identity, the goal is to verify the identity.

  5. 5.

    The above discussion is not intended to be exhaustive as to how identity theory has helped inform various sociological areas of study. For example, we have not discussed how using identity theory in environmental sociology has helped us better understand environmental behavior (Stets & Biga, 2003). When one’s environmental identity was examined, including its prominence, commitment, and salience, researchers found that these identity factors significantly influence pro-environmental behavior.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank members of the Social Psychology Seminar at the University of California, Riverside for the comments on an earlier draft.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521-0419, USA

    Jan E. Stets Ph.D.

  2. Department of Sociology, Kent State University, 5190, Kent, OH, 44242-0001, USA

    Richard T. Serpe Ph.D.

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  1. Jan E. Stets Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Jan E. Stets Ph.D. .

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  1. University of Wisconsin, Madison Dept. Sociology & Rural Sociology, MADISON, Wisconsin, USA

    John DeLamater

  2. Department of Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

    Amanda Ward

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Stets, J.E., Serpe, R.T. (2013). Identity Theory. In: DeLamater, J., Ward, A. (eds) Handbook of Social Psychology. Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6772-0_2

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