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Identity Theory

The concept of identity has become widespread within the social and behavioral sciences, cutting across disciplines from psychiatry and psychology to political science and sociology. Introduced more than fifty years ago, identity theory is a social psychological theory that attempts to understand people's identities, their sources in interaction and society, their processes of operation, and their consequences for interaction and society from a sociological perspective. In this fully updated second edition of Identity Theory, Peter J. Burke and Jan E. Stets expand and refine their discussion of identity theory. Each chapter has been significantly revised and chapters have been added to address new theoretical developments and empirical research in the field. They cover identity characteristics, the processes and outcomes of identity verification, and the operation of identities to detail in particular the role of emotional, behavioral, and cognitive processes. In addition, Burke and Stets explore the multiple identities individuals hold from their multiple positions in society and organizations as well as the multiple identities activated by many people interacting in groups and organizations. Written in an accessible style, this revised edition of Identity Theory continues to make the full range of this powerful theory understandable to readers at all levels.

Identities in Everyday Life

Identities in Everyday Life explores how identity theory in social psychology can help us understand a wide array of issues across six areas of life including psychological well-being; authenticity; morality; gender, race, and sexuality; group membership; and early-to-later adult identities. Bringing together over 45 scholars presenting original theoretical or empirical work, the chapters build upon prior work to understand the source, development, and dynamics of individuals' identities as they unfold within and across situations. These studies not only advance scholarly research on identities, but they also provide an understanding of the relevance of identities for people's everyday lives. The findings are relevant to a broad-based set of researchers in the academy across disciplines in the social sciences, education, and health, to students at both the graduate and undergraduate level who are interested in identities at both a personal and professional level, to mental health professionals, and to the average person in society.