Groups and Biases: The Role of Social Identity in the Musical Career Path Aspirations of Adolescent Musicians

According to social identity theory, individuals self-categorize into groups and then differentiate between groups based on stereotypical norms to create a perceived hierarchy to benefit their self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to explore the presence of social identities among adolescent musicians related to the career paths of music performance and music education and to determine whether self-categorization and differentiation regarding these career paths were a feature of these social identities. Participants were 821 adolescent musicians of varying experience and backgrounds. Results indicated that participants self-categorized and differentiated in favor of the music performance career path but allocated hypothetical resources in favor of the music education career path. Age, family income, performance setting, and intention to major in music were significant predictors of self-categorization, differentiation, and resource allocation. These findings indicate that participants who were older, had greater financial means, identified as soloists, or intended to major in music were more likely to be aligned with a music performance social identity.