Identity Control Theory

Author(s):  
Peter J. Burke
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Eleni Filippidou ◽  
Maria Koutsouba

The research field of this paper is the wedding dance event of “K’na”, as this takes place by the Arvanites of Greek Thrace, an ethnic group moved to the area from Turkish Thrace in 1923. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the three components of dance, music and song of Greek traditional dance, as these reflected in the “K’na” dance event amongst the Arvanites ethnic group of Neo Cheimonio (Evros), are related to issues of ethno-cultural identity under the lens of socio-cybernetics. Data was gathered through ethnographic method as this is applied to the study of dance, while its interpretation was based on socio-cybernetics according to Burke’s identity control theory. From the data analysis, it is showed that through the “K’na” dance event the Thracian Arvanites of Neo Cheimonio shape and reshape their ethno-cultural identity as a reaction to the input they receive from their environment. Therefore, the “construction” of their identity, as a constant process of self-regulation and internal control, is subjected to the conditions of a cybernetic process.


1997 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Kerpelman ◽  
Joe F. Pittman ◽  
Leanne K. Lamke

2005 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 359-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Burke ◽  
Michael M. Harrod

Self-discrepancy (SD) theories and self-enhancement (SE) theories have focused primarily on people's motivations to seek either self-consistent or self-enhancing feedback. The two sets of theories, however, also suggest different reactions to the feedback people receive from others. SE theories suggest that people react negatively to evaluations that are more negative than self-evaluations, but positively to evaluations that are more positive. SD theories, like identity control theory, suggest that people react negatively to either under- or overevaluation. We use data from newly married couples over the first three years of marriage to test these different predictions of SD and SE theories. The results indicate strong support for discrepancy theories overall, though an examination of potential moderators suggests that the discrepancy effect is larger when the relationship to the other is stronger. We discuss implications of these results for identity control theory.


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