THE RELATIVE INFLUENCE OF INDIVIDUAL IDENTITIES, IDENTITY ACCUMULATION, AND IDENTITY COMBINATIONS ON FACETS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING

In this work we discuss three identity concepts that have received att ention in sociological work: the number of identities (identity accumu lation), particular individual identities, and the inclusion of partic ular combinations of identities in the self-concept. We examine theore tically their relations to psychological well-being, using both struct ural symbolic interactionist identity theory and role theory perspecti ves. We then present a procedure for empirically unraveling the relati ve contributions of each of these as influences. Our analyses indicate independent influences of identity accumulation and of individual ide ntities on depression, positive affect, negative affect, affect balanc e, and stress. We do not find independent influences of identify combi nation or gender interactions on these facets of well-being.