Identity Structure Analysis – Identity Structure Analysis – Societal & Clinical ContextsSocietal & Clinical Contexts

Symposium at the 2006 Northern Symposium at the 2006 Northern Ireland BPS Annual Conference Ireland BPS Annual Conference convened by Peter Weinreich, convened by Peter Weinreich, University of UlsterUniversity of Ulster

2525thth Anniversary of the First ISA Anniversary of the First ISA PublicationPublication

Weinreich, P. (1980/86/88) Weinreich, P. (1980/86/88) Manual for Identity Manual for Identity Exploration using Personal ConstructsExploration using Personal Constructs. . Coventry: University of Warwick, Economic and Coventry: University of Warwick, Economic and Social Research Council, Centre for Research in Social Research Council, Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations (2nd ed.).Ethnic Relations (2nd ed.).

Weinreich, P. (1986) ‘The operationalisation of Weinreich, P. (1986) ‘The operationalisation of identity theory in racial and ethnic relations’identity theory in racial and ethnic relations’ , , in J. in J. Rex and D. Mason (Eds.) Rex and D. Mason (Eds.) Theories of Race and Theories of Race and Ethnic Relations, Ethnic Relations, Cambridge: Cambridge Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.University Press.

2525thth Anniversary of the First ISA Anniversary of the First ISA PublicationPublication

Liebkind, K. (Ed.) (1989) Liebkind, K. (Ed.) (1989) New Identities in New Identities in Europe: Immigrant Ancestry and the Ethnic Europe: Immigrant Ancestry and the Ethnic Identity of Youth,Identity of Youth, Volume 3 of the European Volume 3 of the European Science Foundation series: "Studies in Science Foundation series: "Studies in European Migration". London: Gower.European Migration". London: Gower.

Weinreich, P. and Saunderson, W. (Eds.) (2003) Weinreich, P. and Saunderson, W. (Eds.) (2003) Analysing Identity: Clinical, Societal and Cross-Analysing Identity: Clinical, Societal and Cross-Cultural Applications. Cultural Applications. London: Routledge & London: Routledge & Psychology Press.Psychology Press.

PresentationsPresentationsPeter Weinreich, Peter Weinreich, University of UlsterUniversity of Ulster (UUJ)(UUJ)

Analysing Identity: Cross-Cultural, Societal and Analysing Identity: Cross-Cultural, Societal and Clinical ContextsClinical Contexts

Richard PearceRichard Pearce, , University of BathUniversity of Bath

Monitoring the Adjustment of Expatriate Monitoring the Adjustment of Expatriate Students on Entering an International SchoolStudents on Entering an International School

Wendy Saunderson, University of Ulster (UUC)Wendy Saunderson, University of Ulster (UUC)

Juggling or Struggling?: Lone Mothers, Identity Juggling or Struggling?: Lone Mothers, Identity and Work-life Balance and Work-life Balance

PresentationsPresentations

Alison McKenna, University of Ulster (UUJ)Alison McKenna, University of Ulster (UUJ)

Identity Structure Analyses of Individuals with Identity Structure Analyses of Individuals with Clinical Depression and AnxietyClinical Depression and Anxiety

Anne Malone, University of Ulster (UUJ)Anne Malone, University of Ulster (UUJ)

Identity Structure Analysis as an Approach to Identity Structure Analysis as an Approach to Personality DisordersPersonality Disorders

PresentationsPresentations

Katrina Hoy, University of Ulster (UUJ)Katrina Hoy, University of Ulster (UUJ)

A Case-Study Approach to Explore Identity A Case-Study Approach to Explore Identity Processes and Structure in Individuals with Processes and Structure in Individuals with Schizophrenia, using Identity Structure Schizophrenia, using Identity Structure Analysis.Analysis.

Cherie Part, University of Ulster (UUJ)Cherie Part, University of Ulster (UUJ)

Identity Processes associated with Aggressive Identity Processes associated with Aggressive Impulsivity in Paranoid SchizophreniaImpulsivity in Paranoid Schizophrenia

Some definitions: aspirational Some definitions: aspirational identificationidentification (positive)(positive)

Idealistic-identification with another or group The extent of one’s idealistic identification with another is defined as the similarity between the qualities one attributes to the other and those one would like to possess as part of one’s ideal self-image. Let I represent the ideal self-image attributes and Ei those of the other, then

Idealistic-identification with entity Ei: I

EIf iI

i

(11)

where the Boolean intersection iEI - designating overlap between I and Ei - is

represented by the positive attributes Ei, since the ideal self-image, I, is assumed to be

synonymous with the person’s positive value and beliefs (that is, the positive poles of the constructs).

The range of values for a person’s idealistic-identification with another is zero to unity, that is, from an absence of to complete identification with the other in question.

Some definitions: aspirational Some definitions: aspirational identificationidentification (negative)(negative)

Contra-identification with another or group The extent of one’s contra-identification with another is defined as the similarity between the qualities one attributes to the other and those from which one would wish to dissociate.

Let I~

represent the contra value system - the poles of one’s constructs contrary to those designating one’s ideal self-image) – then,

Contra-identification with entity Ei: I~

EI~

iIi

(12)

iEI~ represents the negative attributes of Ei, that is Ei

.

Self’s wish to dissociate from particular qualities of another denotes elemental contra-identifications with that other. The range of values for a person’s contra-identification with another is zero to unity, that is, from no contra-identification to complete contra-identification with the other in question.

Some definitions: empathetic Some definitions: empathetic identificationidentification (as based in context)(as based in context)

Current empathetic identification with another or group The extent of one’s current empathetic identification with another is defined as the degree of similarity between the qualities one attributes to the other, whether ‘good’ or ‘bad’, and those of one’s current self-image.

Current empathetic identification with entity Ei: ic

ci EE

cc

icic

EE

EEEE (13)

where Ec denotes one’s construal of one’s current self-image, and E+ and E- denote the positive and negative characteristics attributed to the entity in question. The range of values for a person’s current empathetic identification with another is zero to unity, that is, from an absence of to complete identification with the other in question.

Some definitions: conflicted Some definitions: conflicted identificationidentification (as based in context)(as based in context)

Identification conflict with another In terms of one’s current self-image the extent of one’s identification conflict with another is defined as a multiplicative function of one’s current empathetic identification and contra-identification with that other.

Current conflict in identification with entity Ei:

ii

ci identifn)-(contraidentifn)(empth K

= Ii

ci (14)

where ci and I

i are given by the expressions 13 and 12 respectively. The square root

of the product is taken so that the index for identification conflict ciK remains in

dimensional terms a measure of identification, not (identification)squared. The range of values for a person’s conflict in identification with another is zero to unity, that is, from no conflicted identification with that other to the maximum theoretically possible, though psychologically unlikely.

Some definitions: overall identity Some definitions: overall identity diffusion (as based in context)diffusion (as based in context)

Overall identity diffusion The degree of one’s identity diffusion is defined as the overall dispersion and magnitude of one’s identification conflicts with others.

Overall current identity diffusion:

ii

i

cii

c G

KG (15)

where ciK is the person’s current conflict in identification with entity Ei (expression 14)

and Gi is the person’s ego-involvement with entity Ei (expression 2). Thus, the magnitude of one’s identification conflict with each entity is weighted by one’s degree of involvement with that entity so that in assessing the dispersion of conflicted identifications those entities with the greater impact have greater weight.

Identity diffusion (c) can theoretically range from zero to unity, though in practice the upper limit is psychologically not a viable state of affairs.

Some definitions: ego-involvement Some definitions: ego-involvement with anotherwith another

One’s ego-involvement with another is One’s ego-involvement with another is defined as one’s overall responsiveness to defined as one’s overall responsiveness to the other in terms of the extensiveness the other in terms of the extensiveness both in quantity and strength of the both in quantity and strength of the attributes one construes the other as attributes one construes the other as possessing.possessing.

Some definitions: evaluation of Some definitions: evaluation of anotheranother

One’s evaluation of another is defined as One’s evaluation of another is defined as one’s overall assessment of the other in one’s overall assessment of the other in terms of the positive and negative terms of the positive and negative evaluative connotations of the attributes evaluative connotations of the attributes one construes in that other, in accordance one construes in that other, in accordance with one’s value system.with one’s value system.

Some definitions: structural pressure Some definitions: structural pressure on a constructon a construct

The structural pressure on a person’s The structural pressure on a person’s construct is defined as the overall strength construct is defined as the overall strength of the excess of compatibilities over of the excess of compatibilities over incompatibilities between the evaluative incompatibilities between the evaluative connotations of attributions one makes to connotations of attributions one makes to each entity by way of the one construct each entity by way of the one construct and one’s overall evaluation of each entity.and one’s overall evaluation of each entity.

ReferenceReference

Chapter 2 in Weinreich, P. and Chapter 2 in Weinreich, P. and Saunderson, W. (Eds.) (2003) Saunderson, W. (Eds.) (2003) Analysing Analysing Identity: Clinical, Societal and Cross-Identity: Clinical, Societal and Cross-Cultural Applications. Cultural Applications. London: Routledge London: Routledge & Psychology Press.& Psychology Press.