Identity motives and subjective well-being: Disentangling their longitudinal associations

Abstract

Identity processes are thought to be guided by motives for belonging, self-esteem, distinctiveness, continuity, efficacy, and meaning. Satisfaction of identity motives is therefore expected to foster higher well-being. Across two studies among adolescents, we examined day-to-day (Study 1: N = 527; M_age = 16.20; seven assessments over one week), and medium-term (Study 2: N = 1395; M_age = 15.72; four waves over one year) associations between identity motives satisfaction and subjective well-being (life-satisfaction, positive, and negative emotions). We hypothesized that within-person changes in satisfaction of identity motives would be associated with both concurrent and subsequent changes in subjective well-being at both time scales. In Study 1, Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models showed that day-to-day changes in identity motives satisfaction were associated with concurrent changes in subjective well-being, but did not predict changes in well-being on the next day. In Study 2, we replicated the concurrent associations between identity motives satisfaction and subjective well-being over a one-year time-span; moreover, fluctuations in satisfaction of three motives (belonging, self-esteem, and continuity) significantly predicted changes in aspects of subjective well-being several months later. Our findings highlight the potential utility of supporting individuals to fulfill their identity motives to foster well-being.

Plain language summary

People are influenced by several needs when they are forming a sense of who they are: they need to feel accepted by others, to see themselves positively, to distinguish themselves clearly from others, to feel connected to their past and future selves, to feel competent and capable of influencing the world around them, and to find meaning in their lives. These needs, known in the literature as “identity motives,” are also thought to affect personal well-being. Our research included two studies in which we tested whether adolescents felt happier and more satisfied with their lives at times when these needs were better met. We measured changes in the fulfillment of identity motives and in aspects of personal well-being among more than 500 Italian adolescents every day for a week and among nearly 1400 Italian adolescents on four occasions during a year. On average, the participants felt happier and more satisfied with their lives on days and during months when their identity needs were better met. There was only one exception to this pattern: changing feelings of distinctiveness from others were linked to daily, but not longer-term, changes in well-being. We found additionally that after experiencing times of greater acceptance by others, more positive views of themselves, or a closer connection to their past and future selves, adolescents were likely to experience times of greater well-being several months later. These findings suggest that helping adolescents satisfy their identity motives could be a valuable way to support their happiness and well-being.