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Exploring the mechanisms underlying the social identity–ill‐health link: Longitudinal and experimental evidence
Author(s) -
Junker Nina M.,
Dick Rolf,
Avanzi Lorenzo,
Häusser Jan A.,
Mojzisch Andreas
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
british journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 2044-8309
pISSN - 0144-6665
DOI - 10.1111/bjso.12308
Subject(s) - psychology , link (geometry) , social psychology , social identity theory , identity (music) , developmental psychology , social group , physics , acoustics , computer network , computer science
There is strong and consistent evidence that identification with social groups is an important predictor of (ill‐)health‐related outcomes. However, the mediating mechanisms of the social identification–health link remain unclear. We present results from two studies, which aimed to test how perceived social support and collective self‐efficacy mediate the effect of social identification on emotional exhaustion, chronic stress, and depressive symptoms. Study 1 ( N = 180) employed a longitudinal two‐wave design, whereas Study 2 ( N = 100) used a field‐experimental design with a manipulation of participants’ social identity. Both studies consistently show that social identification was positively related to perceived social support, which, in turn, was positively associated with collective self‐efficacy. Collective self‐efficacy, finally, was negatively related to ill‐health outcomes.