INCONSISTENT SELF-VIEWS IN THE CONTROL IDENTITY MODEL

One's control identity is the self-meanings associated with the degree to which a person has control over others. This study examines the im plications of identity theory when the control identity is not in equi librium, that is, when a person's self-perceptions are inconsistent wi th their control identity standard. Identity theory claims that when i nconsistency occurs, people will act (often in exaggerated ways) to ch ange perceptions to better match their identity standard. This is test ed on two populations: college daters and newly married couples. We fi nd in the first, exploratory study among daters that those whose self- conceptions involve frequently or infrequently controlling their partn ers (both extreme behaviors) have inconsistent self-views. In the seco nd study, we confirm that those who have inconsistent self-views relev ant to their control identity control their partner to a greater exten t than those without these inconsistencies. We also examine some of th e causes and consequences of the control identity. We find that indivi duals, in attempting to maintain their own control identity, create pr oblems in their relationships: a self-society conflict. (C) 1994 Acade mic Press, Inc.