Dealing with Identity Loss: Unemployment from a Social Identity Perspective. Pamela Bretschneider Supervisors: Dr Michelle Ryan & Prof Thomas Kessler

Transcription

1 Dealing with Identity Loss: Unemployment from a Social Identity Perspective Pamela Bretschneider Supervisors: Dr Michelle Ryan & Prof Thomas Kessler

2 Social Identity & Unemployment Overview 1. Why is stigma & the Social Identity approach important when we study unemployment? 2. Social Identity approach 3. Stigma of unemployed people 4. Coping strategies of unemployed people 5. Gender, Social Identity & unemployment 6. Conclusion

3 Why is stigma & the Social Identity approach important when we study unemployment? Research gaps: 1. Stigma of unemployment 2. (Possible) connection between identity maintenance strategies and coping behaviour 3. Impacts of unemployment on women's and men's identity

4 Social Identity approach Takes the psychological reality of the group we-ness (social identity) as its starting point. Social Identity: Individual's knowledge that he (or she) belongs to certain social groups together with some emotional and value significance to him (or her) of this group membership. (Tajfel, 1972)

5 Social Identity approach To the extent that our sense of self is defined by group membership (i.e., in terms of social identity), rather than our individuality (personal identity), our behaviour is shaped by the perspective and interests of that ingroup.

6 How does Social Identity affect our behaviour and attitudes? Social Identity is a basis for, e.g., perceived similarity, trust, social influence, social support What are contents of Social Identity? Stereotypes, norms & values, roles How are social identities formed and changed? Inter-group comparisons Intra- and inter-group interaction

7 Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) Individuals strive to achieve or to maintain positive social identity. Positive social identity is based on comparisons that can be made between the in-group and some relevant out-groups.

8 Three self enhancement strategies Individual mobility: finding a job Social creativity: trying to see the in-group positively Social competition: challenging the status quo

9 What determines which strategy will be used? Three socio-structural variables Permeability Legitimacy Stability

10 What determines which strategy will be used? The level of identification: Three factors of identity Centrality In-group ties In-group affect

11 Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) Socio-structural variables 3 factors of identity Identity maintenance/ enhancement strategies

12 Stigma of unemployed people Lazy? Unwilling to work? Stupid? Low intelligence? However, this stigma is concealable. But research so far showed that concealing a stigma goes along with reduced social support and less adaptive coping strategies.

13 Coping strategies of unemployed people Stress responses are dynamic multifaceted and interdependent: different stressors evoke different responses from different individuals. All stigmatised people have in common that they have a devalued social identity that exposes them to stressors they would otherwise not experience. Importance of cognitive appraisals: stressor and resources (Lazarus, 1984)

14 Coping strategies of unemployed people (more or less adaptive) Problem solving Cognitive reconstruction (Voluntary) avoidance, denial Rumination, intrusive thoughts Avoidance at an pre-attentional level

15 Coping strategies of unemployed people Moderators Maintenance Coping strategy strategy Permeable group boundaries Individual mobility Problem solving: finding job Low in-group ties

16 Coping strategies of unemployed people Moderators Maintenance Coping strategy strategy Impermeable group boundaries + stable relations Negative affect Social creativity Cognitive reconstruction/ vol. avoidance

17 Coping strategies of unemployed people Moderators Maintenance Coping strategy strategy Impermeable group boundaries + illegitimate relations Social competition Problem solving: collective action High in-group ties

18 Gender, Social Identity & unemployment Men might perceive more discrimination (due to the stigma) and might suffer more from unemployment. That is why they may tend to either actively solving the problem (leaving the group, social mobility) or (if not possible) tend to choose less adaptive coping strategies. Women may prefer to deal creatively with their situation (social creativity, cognitive reconstruction). Therefore, they may perceive less discrimination and may suffer less than men.

19 Unemployment & Well-being Research provided evidence that social identity processes are central to the dynamics of well-being (e.g. Reicher & Haslam, 2006). Shared social identity provides a basis for group members to give and receive social support, so that stressors are appraised as a positive challenge. BUT: Do unemployed people establish a social identity as unemployed people at all?

20 Conclusions Unemployed people have to deal with the loss of their professional identity and the stigma of unemployment. Woman and men prefer different strategies how they deal with that loss of identity. That implies that women may feel less motivated to find a job.

21 Literature Compas, B. E., Connor-Smith, J. K., Saltzman, H., Thomsen, A. H., & Wadsworth, M. E. (2001). Coping with Stress during childhood and adolescence: Problems, progress and potential in theory and research. Psychologcal Bulletin, 127. Haslam, S.A. (2001). Psychology in organisations. London. Sage. Lazarus, R.S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, Appraisal and Coping. New York: Springer. Levin, S. & Laar, C.v., (2006). Stigma and group inequelity, Social Psychological Perpectives, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Paul., K. I. (2005). The negative mental health effect of unemployment: Meta-analyses of crosssectional and longitudinal data, unpublished disertation Ryan, M. K., Iyer, A., Hersby, M. D., Kulich, C. (2007). Responding to negative identities: The independent role of the three factors of identity Reicher, S. D. & Haslam, S. A. (2006). Tyranny revisited: Groups, psychological well-being and the health of societies. The Psychologist, 19, Tajfel, H. & Turner, J.C. (1986): The social identity theory of intergroup behavior. In S. Worchel & W.G. Austin : Psychology of intergroup relations (S. 7-24). Chicago,IL: Nelson-Hall.

22 Contact: Pamela Bretschneider: Dr Michelle Ryan: Prof Thomas Kessler: University of Exeter School of Psychology Washington Singer Laboratories Perry Road Exeter EX4 4QG