Taking the strain: Social identity, social support, and the experience of stress
S. Alexander Haslam,
Anne O'Brien, Jolanda Jetten, Karine Vormedal, Sally Penna,
Corresponding Author
S. Alexander Haslam
University of Exeter, UK
Correspondence should be addressed to Alex Haslam, School of Psychology, University of Exeter, EX4 4QG, UK (e-mail: [email protected]).Search for more papers by this authorS. Alexander Haslam,
Anne O'Brien, Jolanda Jetten, Karine Vormedal, Sally Penna,
Corresponding Author
S. Alexander Haslam
University of Exeter, UK
Correspondence should be addressed to Alex Haslam, School of Psychology, University of Exeter, EX4 4QG, UK (e-mail: [email protected]).Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
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.
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