When is identity congruent with the self? A self-determination theory perspective

Within the identity literature, self and identity are often used as interchangeable terms. By contrast, in Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Ryan & Deci, 2003) both terms have a differentiated meaning and it is maintained that identities may vary in the extent to which they are congruent with the basic growth tendencies of the self that are fueled by the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Specifically, the level of congruence between identities and the self is said to depend on (a) the motives underlying one’s identity commitments (i.e., pressure versus volition) and (b) the content of the goals defining one’s identity (i.e., extrinsic versus intrinsic). It is argued in SDT that both the motives and the goals behind one’s identity are important for optimal functioning because of their linkage with basic need satisfaction. This chapter (a) compares the SDT view on identity development with prevailing models of identity formation, and with constructivist models of identity in particular, and (b) reviews research relevant to the idea that identities need to be congruent with the self in order to foster well-being and adjustment

The Cinderella moment:Exploring consumers’ motivations to engage with renting as collaborative luxury consumption mode

Past literature argued that the purchase of luxury goods is driven by people’s motivation to conform or fit into our economic and social system. In this study, the authors focus on a new aspect of consumption, i.e. renting instead of purchasing luxury goods, backed by the emerging opportunities of sharing economy platforms. Drawing upon the analysis of spontaneous consumers’ online communications (in the form of tweets), this research aims to investigate the motivations to engage with luxury garment renting within a collaborative consumption context. To this end, a series of automatic content analyses, via two studies, were conducted using the tweets posted with respect to the Run the Runway collaborative consumption platform. Results demonstrate consumers’ increased willingness to show their social status through renting rather than owning luxurious apparel based on five main motivators (need to wear new clothes for a special event, inspirations created by the products/brands, possibility to explore a new way of consuming luxury goods, need to make more sustainable choices, and to increase the life cycle of each luxury product). The implications of these findings are discussed, while they pave the way for future research in collaborative consumption of luxury retailing

Prospects for radical emissions reduction through behaviour and lifestyle change

Over the past two decades, scholars and practitioners across the social sciences, in policy and beyond have proposed, trialled and developed a wide range of theoretical and practical approaches designed to bring about changes in behaviours and lifestyles that contribute to climate change. With the exception of the establishment of a small number of iconic behaviours such as recycling, it has however proved extremely difficult to bring about meaningful transformations in personal greenhouse gas emissions at either the individual or societal level, with multiple reviews now pointing to the limited efficacy of current approaches. We argue that the majority of approaches designed to achieve mitigation have been constrained by the need to operate within prevailing social scientific, economic and political orthodoxies which have precluded the possibility of non-marginal change. In this paper we ask what a truly radical approach to reducing personal emissions would look like from social science perspectives which challenge the unstated assumptions severely limiting action to date, and which explore new alternatives for change. We emphasise the difficulties likely to impede the instituting of genuinely radical societal change regarding climate change mitigation, whilst proposing ways that the ground could be prepared for such a transformation to take place

Television exposure, consumer culture values, and lower well-being among preadolescent children: the mediating role of consumer-focused coping strategies

Previous research has linked materialism to lower well‐being in children, and recent findings suggest that this link is heightened among those exposed to high levels of advertising. One proposal is that children may be pursuing consumer culture ideals (CCIs) – orienting to material possessions and physical appearance – as a maladaptive coping strategy for dealing with underlying distress. The present work offers the first direct evaluation of this theoretically plausible hypothesis. In Study 1, higher scores on our measure of consumer‐focused coping (CFC) not only predicted lower well‐being in a sample of 109 9‐ to 11‐year‐olds, but also served as mediator in the indirect link between the number of hours spent watching television and lower well‐being. Study 2 tested our expanded model of these processes in a sample of 380 9‐ to 11‐year‐olds. Specifically, structural equation modelling revealed that frequency of watching commercial (advertising‐rich) television in particular predicted greater CFC. This, in turn, predicted greater endorsement of CCIs, which then predicted lower well‐being. Implications for theoretical models and educational interventions are discussed

Examining exercise dependence symptomatology from a self-determination perspective

Background: Based on the theoretical propositions of Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985) this study examined whether individuals classified as “nondependent-symptomatic” and “nondependent-asymptomatic” for exercise dependence differed in terms of the level of exercise-related psychological need satisfaction and self-determined versus controlling motivation they reported. Further, we examined if the type of motivational regulations predicting exercise behaviour differed among these groups. Methods: Participants (N = 339), recruited from fitness, community, and retail settings, completed measures of exercise-specific psychological need satisfaction, motivational regulations, exercise behaviour and exercise dependence. Results: Individuals who were nondependent-symptomatic for exercise dependence reported higher levels of competence need satisfaction and all forms of motivational regulation, compared to nondependent-asymptomatic individuals. Introjected regulation approached significance as a positive predictor of strenuous exercise behaviour for symptomatic individuals. Identified regulation was a positive predictor of strenuous exercise for asymptomatic individuals. Conclusions: The findings reinforce the applicability of SDT to understanding engagement in exercise

Clubfoot relapse: does presentation differ based on age at initial relapse?

Abstract Purpose Treatment of idiopathic clubfoot with the Ponseti method is now standard, but predicting relapse can be difficult. Most experts recommend bracing to the age of four years, but this can be challenging for families, and may not be necessary in all patients. The purpose of this study is to compare patterns of bracing and age of relapse to help determine if predictable patterns exist. Methods: The 70 patients with idiopathic clubfoot treated initially with the Ponseti technique who had relapse of their clubfoot were identified. Relapse was defined as a return to casting or surgery due to recurrent deformity. Data collected included demographics, treatment and brace adherence. Patients who sustained initial relapse before the age of two years were compared with those who sustained initial relapse after the age of two years. Results: In total 56% (39/70) had their initial relapse prior to age two years while 44% (31/70) were after age two years. Of the patients who relapsed prior to the age of two years, 28% (11/39) were adherent with bracing while 72% were non-­adherent. For patients who initially relapsed after age two, 74% (23/31) were adherent with bracing while 26% were non-adherent (p < 0.001). Of those who had initial ­relapse ­prior to age two, a subsequent relapse was seen in 69% (27/39). Conclusion: Patients with idiopathic clubfoot who experienced recurrence prior to age two years are significantly more likely to be non-adherent with bracing than those who sustain recurrence after age two. After initial relapse prior to age two, bracing adherence does not affect likelihood of subsequent recurrence

Unconditional positive self-regard, intrinsic aspirations and authenticity: pathways to psychological well-being

Unconditional positive self-regard (UPSR) is regarded by humanistic psychologists as an important determinant of well-being. However, until recently it has received little empirical attention. The current study aims to examine the association between unconditional positive self-regard and several key constructs consistent with the ideas of well-being within contemporary positive psychology. Study 1 is a confirmatory factor analysis of the UPSR scale. The statistically significant best fit for the data was a related two-factor model. Study 2 used the two-factors of the UPSR scale to explore the association with intrinsic aspirations. The study showed positive self-regard was statistically significantly positively correlated with the intrinsic aspirations total scale and with each of the separate scores for IA-importance and IA-chance. Unconditionality of regard was statistically significantly negatively correlated with IA-importance but was not statistically significantly correlated to either the IA-total or IA-chance scores. Study 3 considers the association between UPSR, intrinsic aspirations and authenticity. Unconditionality of regard was statistically significantly positively correlated with the authenticity scale score. Only IA-chance scores showed a statistically significant and positive correlation with authenticity. The remaining correlations between intrinsic aspirations and authenticity were not statistically significant. Results call for further empirical attention to UPSR within positive psychology research

Managerial Work in a Practice-Embodying Institution - The role of calling, the virtue of constancy

What can be learned from a small scale study of managerial work in a highly marginal and under-researched working community? This paper uses the ‘goods-virtues-practices-institutions’ framework to examine the managerial work of owner-directors of traditional circuses. Inspired by MacIntyre’s arguments for the necessity of a narrative understanding of the virtues, interviews explored how British and Irish circus directors accounted for their working lives. A purposive sample was used to select subjects who had owned and managed traditional touring circuses for at least 15 years, a period in which the economic and reputational fortunes of traditional circuses have suffered badly. This sample enabled the research to examine the self-understanding of people who had, at least on the face of it, exhibited the virtue of constancy. The research contributes to our understanding of the role of the virtues in organizations by presenting evidence of an intimate relationship between the virtue of constancy and a ‘calling’ work orientation. This enhances our understanding of the virtues that are required if management is exercised as a domain-related practice

Recomposing consumption: defining necessities for sustainable and equitable well-being

This paper focuses on consumption in the affluent world and the resulting level, composition and distribution of consumption-based emissions. It argues that public policy should foster the recomposition of consumption, while not disadvantaging poorer groups in the population. To combine these two imperatives entails making a distinction between goods and services that are necessary for a basic level of well-being, and those that are surplus to this requirement. The argument proceeds in six stages. First, the paper outlines a theory of universal need, as an alternative conception of well-being to consumer preference satisfaction. Second, it proposes a dual strategy methodology for identifying need satisfiers or necessities in a given social context. Then, it applies this methodology to identify a minimum bundle of necessary consumption items in the UK and speculates how it might be used to identify a maximum bundle for sustainable consumption. The next part looks at corporate barriers and structural obstacles in the path of sustainable consumption. The following part reveals a further problem: mitigation policies can result in perverse distributional outcomes when operating in contexts of great inequality. The final section suggests four ecosocial public policies that would simultaneously advance sustainable and equitable consumption in rich nations