Coping with identity conflict: perceptions of self as flexible versus fixed moderate the effect of identity conflict on well-being

Abstract

In four experimental studies we explored the moderating role of perceptions of one’s self as flexible versus fixed on the relationship between identity conflict, well-being, and self-esteem. Across different contexts, it was demonstrated that representations of self as stable versus changeable moderated the effect of conflicting identities on well-being and self-esteem. Specifically, the activation of conflicting identities led to a decrease in well-being and self-esteem among those who construed their self as stable, but not among those who adopted flexible representations of self. This effect was mediated by self-concept clarity. The results suggest that the net effect of multiple identities depends not only on their compatibility and importance, but also on the way in which one’s self-concept is construed.