Positive and negative valences of identities: Longitudinal associations of identity content valences with adaptive and maladaptive functioning among Japanese young adults

Erikson's psychosocial developmental theory assumes that valence of one's identity (i.e., identity content valence) defined by positive and negative identity elements is important for understanding patterns of (mal)adaptation. However, previous empirical research on identity and (mal)adaptation has focused on how individuals deal with identity issues (e.g., exploration and commitment), while neglecting identity content valences. In contrast, this study assessed identity content valences in terms of positive and negative identity elements. Theoretically, identity content valences affect (mal)adaptation, whereas individuals’ (mal)adaptation influences their identities. Consequently, this study examined reciprocal relationships between identity content valences and adaptation (i.e., prosocial behaviors) and maladaptation (e.g., externalizing symptoms) in a sample of Japanese young adults, including socioculturally relevant indicators of maladaptation (i.e., hikikomori symptoms and suicidal ideation). This study includes 2,313 Japanese young adults who participated in a three-wave longitudinal study. The cross-lagged panel model and random intercept cross-lagged panel model revealed reciprocal relationships between identity content valences and (mal)adaptation at the between-person level. Negative identity elements positively predicted suicidal ideation. Meanwhile, prosocial behaviors positively predicted positive identity elements, whereas hikikomori symptoms and suicidal ideation positively predicted negative identity elements. These relationships were significant only for socioculturally relevant indicators, suggesting the importance of considering sociocultural contexts.

Social and personal identity of gifted primary schoolchildren

Education in a specialised class is considered as a social factor influencing the identity of intellectually and academically gifted primary school children. An analysis of the empirical results of the study of social and personal identity of intellectually and academically gifted third-formers studying in a specialised class is given. The identity of gifted pupils is multilevel, multicomponent, in terms of differentiation, it is ahead of the development of the identity of their peers. Most gifted children in a specialised class are satisfied with their identity. At the same time, the problems of environmental friendliness of differentiation of classes by the level of academic success are noted. Peers of gifted children attending the same school often have a negative identity, that is, negative self-perception.

“Hey BCC this is Australia and we speak and read English:” Monolingualism and othering in relation to linguistic diversity

This paper explores how linguistic diversity gave rise to a multi-party interaction with strong elements of monolingualism and othering. The data analyzed comes from the official Facebook page of Brisbane City Council that very rarely creates posts in languages other than English. One of such rare posts in Korean attracted a number of negative comments in relation to the language used. This paper examines how the discourses of monolingualism and othering are constructed in those comments. The findings of this qualitative study show that, in the analyzed data, monolingualism is primarily indexed through the following discourses: “English only”, English as the language of Australia, English as a national identity and monolingual beliefs, in general. Othering includes such practices as predominantly engaging in the “us vs them” discourse, positioning the non-dominant language and its speakers as the different ‘other’, ascribing negative identity and using impoliteness practices, such as challenges, warnings or accusations.

The Secularization of the Church

The aim of this paper is to explore a few factors that contribute to the tendency towards secularization in the evangelical churches in Central and Eastern Europe. It further suggests theological remedies to address the causes of secularization. The thesis of this paper is that there are three causes for the tendency towards secularization. First is the secularization of theological education, second is the crisis of ecclesial identity, and third is the secularization of leadership. The first proposal of this paper is that the remedy for the secularization of theological education is redefining theology as communion, theological education as transformation, and theological formation as discipleship. Second, the remedy for the crisis of ecclesial identity that leads to negative identity markers is the replacement of the external conformation model of Christian life (which leads to social isolation, subculturality, and spiritual abuse) with the internal transformation model, which leads to a healthy spirituality and a meaningful theology of mission. Third and finally, the remedy for the secularization of leadership is the rediscovery of the kenotic model of Christian life and ministry.

Negative Identity of Russian Germans

The article is devoted to one of the aspects of the complex ethnic identity of Russian Germans, namely, its negative inversion. Events of the second half of the 20th century. in the ethnic history of the German community (deportation, labor army, special settlement) became factors in the formation of negative identity. It was expressed in public contempt, insults and humiliation towards the Russian Germans. In this regard, the Germans renounced their ethnicity, changed their personal names and surnames, and rewrote their nationality. The Germans turned out to be the only people who were not fully rehabilitated among those who were subject to repression and deportation, since the territorial autonomy, lost in 1941, was not restored. The negative identity of Russian Germans is a situational phenomenon that is associated with the influence on it, firstly, of historical events, secondly, the political actions of the authorities, and thirdly, public mood and opinion. The article is based on materials from field ethnographic expeditions, archival data and sources of personal origin.

The positive side of negative identity: Stigma and deviance in backlash movements

Backlash movements often engage in extraordinary acts of deviance and taboo-breaking. Yet violating mainstream norms is costly, as it provokes public condemnation and stigma. Why do backlash movements transgress mainstream norms? In this essay, I argue that deviance and stigma are central elements of backlash politics and serve important functions for backlash movements. Building off insights from Sociology, I show how ‘secondary deviance’ is commonly embraced in groups that experience status deprivation. I apply these insights to backlash movements in order to illuminate why transgression is so often a part of their repertoire. Violating dominant norms – and provoking mainstream stigma and rebuke – advances the goals of backlash movements by allowing them to cultivate a distinct group identity, instil collective sentiments of status deprivation, and validate the movement’s political claims in popular discourse. In brief, backlash movements engage in certain behaviours not in spite of their deviant status, but because of this status.

Symbolic boundaries in the politics of Soviet identity: gender dimension (On the materials on the Great Patriotic War’s cinema)

Using the boundary approach, the paper dwells upon the role of gender discourse in politics of the Soviet identity in the time of the Great Patriotic War. In the beginning, it discusses what role symbolic boundaries created with help of gender discourse play in politics of identity. Then, the essential traits of politics of Soviet identity are examined on the material of the film “Circus” (1936). Finally, the paper focuses on utilizing the gender discourse by cinema of the Great Patriotic War. It investigates how the films used the representations of femininity in such directions of the politics of the Soviet identity as producing the images of “us” and forming the feeling of belonging to the political community; providing the national unity through weakening internal symbolic boundaries; strengthening external symbolic boundaries and forming negative identity through constructing the images of “them” — the women of Nazi Germany. The author comes to the conclusion that the boundary approach has significant heuristic potential and may be employed in Gender Studies.