When the Managerial Merry-go-round Stops: A Case Study of how Disconfirming Experiences Affect the Identities of Expert Football Managers

Due to the highly competitive nature of top-level football (i.e., top domestic league or international standard) expert football managers often undergo several disconfirming experiences throughout their careers (e.g., job loss, public criticism, unsuccessful interviews or career moves). However, little is known about how such experiences impact identity. Therefore, the following case study aims explore the affect, if any, disconfirming experiences had on the identities and self-concept of three former top-level football managers. Narrative constructs reveal that during disconfirming episodes’ managers experience feelings of anger, a loss of self-respect, disappointment, and sadness. Further, they also report how confusion regarding their future career prospects leaves them in a state of identity limbo (i.e., identity interference), whereby they were unsure as to how, when or if they should cease their commitment to a valued identity.

Climate Perceptions and Identity Interference Among Undergraduate Women in STEM

In a study of 639 female undergraduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors, we found that the relation between a negative academic climate and more interference between identities as women and as scientists, and lower science performance perceptions, was mediated by lower psychological well-being. We also found partial support for gender identity (centrality, private regard, and public regard) as a buffer of the link between climate/interference and psychological well-being. Specifically, gender centrality buffered the link between identity interference and well-being. Gender public regard buffered the association of both negative climate and interference with well-being, and gender private regard exacerbated the link between interference and well-being. We discuss these results in terms of the benefits that gender identification may provide for women in STEM and suggest that educators create networks for women in STEM, while working to reduce sexism and improve academic climates. Online slides for instructors who want to use this article for teaching are available on PWQ 's website at http://pwq.sagepub.com/supplemental