Motivated Identity Construction in Cultural Context, 2008-2011

• Main Authors: Vignoles, V., University of Sussex. School of Psychology, Brown, R., University of Sussex. Department of Psychology
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: 2008; 2009; 2010; 2011; AGE; BELGIUM; BRAZIL; CAMEROON; CHILE; CHINA; COLOMBIA; CULTURAL IDENTITY; CULTURAL VALUES; EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND; EGYPT; ESTONIA; ETHIOPIA; ETHNIC GROUPS; FINANCIAL RESOURCES; GENDER; GEORGIA (REPUBLIC); GERMANY (OCT 1990-); GHANA; HAPPINESS; HUNGARY; ICELAND; INDIA; ITALY; JAPAN; LEBANON; MALAYSIA (1963- ); MEDITATION; NAMIBIA; NEW ZEALAND; NORWAY; OMAN; PERSONAL IDENTITY; PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT; PERSONALITY; PERU; PHILIPPINES; PLACE OF BIRTH; POLAND; PRAYER; RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION; RELIGIOUS ATTENDANCE; RELIGIOUS BEHAVIOUR; RESIDENTIAL MOBILITY; ROMANIA; RURAL AREAS; Norway; New Zealand; Iceland
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-SN-6877-2

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.Beyond basic motives to seek food, water, affiliation and security, people's thoughts and actions are often guided by symbolic motives. These include 'identity motives', which guide people to see themselves in particular ways. Existing research suggests that people are motivated to see themselves in a positive light (the self-esteem motive), but also to believe that they are distinguished from others (the distinctiveness motive), that their identities persist through time (the continuity motive), that they are accepted by others (the belonging motive), that they are competent (the efficacy motive), and that their lives are ultimately meaningful (the meaning motive). Yet, little is known about the generality of these motives to people from non-Western cultural backgrounds, the majority of the world's population, and the little available evidence is controversial. The researchers have assembled a network of research collaborators in 34 nations chosen to provide a broad representation of global variation in cultural values. They designed two complementary studies to test these new theoretical ideas. Study 1 tested the hypotheses among high school students in 19 nations. A longitudinal design was used so data were collected over two different periods. Study 2 used a simplified design to reach adults in a larger number of cultural groups, aiming to sample maximum possible cultural diversity. In total, the research involved the participation of over 12,000 respondents in over 50 cultural groups. Further information is available on the Motivated identity construction in cultural context ESRC Award web page. For the second edition (September 2016), updated versions of the data files were deposited, with some erroneous cases corrected. Main Topics:The files contain data from two separate studies: Study 1 and Study 2. Participants in Study 1 were high school students from 19 nations (Time 1) and 16 nations (Time 2). Participants in Study 2 were adults ...