Development and validation of a Q‐sort measure of identity processing style: The identity processing style Q‐sort☆

Abstract

Identity styles represent strategies individuals use to explore identity‐related issues. Berzonsky (Berzonsky, M. D. (1992). Identity style and coping strategies. Journal of Personality, 60, 771–788) identified three styles: informational, normative, and diffuse. In three studies, this paper presents (a) the identity processing style Q‐sort (IPSQ), a new measurement technique for assessing identity styles, along with the reliability and validity of three criterion sorts that represent “ideal types” for the three respective styles, (b) a description of the styles in a sample of 480 college students along with direct comparisons with the paper–pencil measure of identity styles originally developed by Berzonsky, and (c) an examination of convergent and discriminant validity of the IPSQ in a sample of 321 college students based on correlations with measures tapping identity status, family relationship quality, social competence, coping styles, and social desirability. The general discussion concludes that the reliability and validity of the sort are supported and future directions and potential uses are described.

Cross-Cultural Investigation of the Link Between Identity Processing Styles and the Actual Work of Identity in the Career Domain

“…The IPSQ has a test-retest reliability of .71 (Pittman et al 2009). Past studies, which used the IPSQ, have shown that there is a moderate negative correlation between informational and normative styles (r = -.38 in the American sample (Pittman et al 2009); and -.46 in the Turkish sample (Eryigit and Kerpelman 2009)).…”

“…However, the ISI has certain limitations such that some items focus on certain identity domains, other items ask domain-free general questions; items are not consistently phrased as ongoing actions; and the instrument does not assess the relative importance of different orientations (see Eryigit and Kerpelman 2009;Pittman et al 2009;Vleioras 2007 for more information on its limitations). In an effort to increase the ability to capture the complexity of individuals' conceptualization of their orientation to identity work, the Identity Processing Styles Q-Sort (IPSQ: Pittman et al 2009) was developed and tested with multiple samples.…”

“…However, the ISI has certain limitations such that some items focus on certain identity domains, other items ask domain-free general questions; items are not consistently phrased as ongoing actions; and the instrument does not assess the relative importance of different orientations (see Eryigit and Kerpelman 2009;Pittman et al 2009;Vleioras 2007 for more information on its limitations). In an effort to increase the ability to capture the complexity of individuals' conceptualization of their orientation to identity work, the Identity Processing Styles Q-Sort (IPSQ: Pittman et al 2009) was developed and tested with multiple samples. The IPSQ shows that the informational and diffuse/avoidant styles are opposite aspects of a single dimension (consistent with Erikson's theorizing, 1968), and thus creates two continuums one for the informational and diffuse/avoidance dimension (where the higher end of this continuum represents greater use of the informational style and the lower end of this continuum represents greater use of the diffuse/ avoidant style) and the other continuum for the normative dimension.…”

“…An example item for the informational style is ''My future is something I think about a lot,'' and for the normative style is ''What my parents (parentfigures) think I should do is one of the MOST important influences on my life choices.'' Each participant's sort is then correlated with each of three criterion sorts, one for each style, that were developed with the assistance of 12 established identity scholars (see Pittman et al 2009). The correlation coefficients become the individual's scores for the styles.…”

“…Identity styles were measured by the Identity Processing Styles Q-sort that was developed based on Berzonsky's theoretical conceptualization of identity styles (IPSQ: Pittman et al 2009). The q-sort methodology requires that participants read descriptions of the different styles on cards and then place the cards into a forced distribution that ranges from most to least like the participant.…”