Taking the strain: Social identity, social support, and the experience of stress

Abstract

The social identity/self-categorization model of stress suggests that social identity can play a role in protecting group members from adverse reactions to strain because it provides a basis for group members to receive and benefit from social support. To examine this model, two studies were conducted with groups exposed to extreme levels of strain: patients recovering from heart surgery (Study 1), bomb disposal officers and bar staff (Study 2). Consistent with predictions, in both studies there was a strong positive correlation between social identification and both social support and life/job satisfaction and a strong negative correlation between social identification and stress. In both studies path analysis also indicated that social support was a significant mediator of the relationship between (a) social identification and stress and (b) social identification and life/job satisfaction. In addition, Study 2 revealed that group membership plays a significant role in perceptions of how stressful different types of work are. Implications for the conceptualization of stress and social support are discussed.

Ageing well in a foreign land as a process of successful social identity change

“…Many offered their help to other migrants who experienced language barriers or were at risk of isolation—difficulties with which our participants were probably quite familiar. This is consistent with the social identity theory notion that shared social identity forms not only the basis for receiving and benefiting from sources of social support (Haslam, O’Brien, Jetten, Vormedal, & Penna, 2005), offering such social support appears to be equally, if not more, beneficial for wellbeing (Steffens, Jetten, Haslam, Cruwys, & Haslam, 2016). This finding is particularly interesting to follow up on, because it suggests that volunteering to help others from a similar background offers not only benefits in terms of the provision of support, it also has benefits for those offering the help because it provides a basis for social identity continuity.…”

Differential Responses of Independent and Interdependent People to Social Exclusion

“…This is because excessive identification with a specific group would be expected to narrow the person's network as a whole, a boundary effect that results in diminished potential benefits, even though such identification does serve to maintain relatively powerful connections with group members (Gaertner et al, 2006;Tajfel & Turner, 1979;Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher, & Wetherell, 1987). The boundary effect is in line with the finding that group identification leads individuals to perceive other group members as a source of social support (Haslam, Jetten, O'Brien, & Jacobs, 2004;Haslam, O'Brien, Jetten, Vormedal, & Penna, 2005;Underwood, 2000).…”

Identification with social groups is associated with mental health in adolescents: Evidence from a Scottish community sample

“…Individuals who identify with multiple groups therefore have more resources and support available to them than those with fewer group identifications (e.g. Haslam et al, 2005;Iyer et al, 2009). …”