Multiple Identities and Sources of Reflected Appraisals in Identity Theory

Identity theory assumes that individuals seek identity verification in the form of consistency between the meanings implied by perceived feedback from others (reflected appraisals) and their own self-meanings (identity standards) during social interaction. When there is a lack of identity verification (discrepancy), individuals experience negative outcomes such as psychological distress. Most adults hold multiple identities, and discrepancies in certain identities may cause more distress than others. Moreover, reflected appraisals come from various sources, and discrepancies with certain sources may be more influential than others. Yet most research on identity verification has not included multiple identities or multiple sources of reflected appraisals. We use structural equation modeling to simultaneously investigate associations between identity discrepancies with four sources of reflected appraisals (spouse, family, friends, and others in general) and distress (depressive symptoms) in a sample of 735 respondents who occupy three identities (spouse/partner, parent, and religious). We find that discrepancies in more obligatory identities and those involving reflected appraisals from more proximal sources of feedback are most consistently associated with depressive symptoms. Implications of these findings for advancing identity theory and research are discussed.