Narrative identity does not predict well-being when controlling for emotional valence.
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| Title: | Narrative identity does not predict well-being when controlling for emotional valence. |
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| Authors: | Gehrt, Tine B. (AUTHOR), Nielsen, Niels Peter (AUTHOR), Hoyle, Rick H. (AUTHOR), Rubin, David C. (AUTHOR), Berntsen, Dorthe (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Memory. Sep2023, Vol. 31 Issue 8, p1051-1061. 11p. |
| Subjects: | Well-being, Positive psychology, Autobiographical memory, Individual development, Attitude (Psychology), Group identity, Regression analysis, Fisher exact test, Satisfaction, Life, Questionnaires, Descriptive statistics, Autonomy (Psychology), Interpersonal relations, Research funding, Emotions, Data analysis software |
| Abstract: | Narrative identity refers to a person's internalized and evolving life story. It is a rapidly growing research field, motivated by studies showing a unique association with well-being. Here we show that this association disappears when controlling for the emotional valence of the stories told and individuals' general experience of autobiographical memory. Participants (N = 235) wrote their life story and completed questionnaires on their general experience of autobiographical memory and several dimensions of well-being and affect. Participants' life stories were coded for standard narrative identity variables, including agency and communion. When controlling for emotional valence of the life story, the general experience of autobiographical memory was a significant predictor of most well-being measures, whereas agency was a predictor of one variable only and communion of none. These findings contradict the claim of an incremental association between narrative identity and well-being, and have important theoretical and practical implications for narrative identity as an outcome measure in interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Narrative identity refers to a person's internalized and evolving life story. It is a rapidly growing research field, motivated by studies showing a unique association with well-being. Here we show that this association disappears when controlling for the emotional valence of the stories told and individuals' general experience of autobiographical memory. Participants (N = 235) wrote their life story and completed questionnaires on their general experience of autobiographical memory and several dimensions of well-being and affect. Participants' life stories were coded for standard narrative identity variables, including agency and communion. When controlling for emotional valence of the life story, the general experience of autobiographical memory was a significant predictor of most well-being measures, whereas agency was a predictor of one variable only and communion of none. These findings contradict the claim of an incremental association between narrative identity and well-being, and have important theoretical and practical implications for narrative identity as an outcome measure in interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 09658211 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/09658211.2023.2218632 |
