Psychodiagnostics of motivation for identification within the body function regulation model: the differentiation of possession and belonging

Abstract

The concern of scientists to the process of identity formation and its changeability in the modern world makes the issue relevant in terms of the motivational basis of identification. In the present work, based on the approach of psychology of corporeality to identity and the empirical method of the detection of identification motives [Vignoles et al., 2006], we make an attempt to argue and differentiate the experiences of possession and belonging in relation to the objects involved in the person’s identity (in his or her description of that "what I am"). The present work aims at the empirical differentiation of the experiences of possession and belonging during certain identifications as well as the detection of their association with importance and relation to those identifications, with some other peculiarities of identification and psychological wellbeing. One hypothesizes the following: the experiences of possession and belonging, being behind the certain identifications, are two independent predictors of their subjective importance for a person; they are differently interconnected with identification features (in particular, with the land and family) and psychological wellbeing. 227 subjects at the age of 16 till 65 years old filled in the modified test "Who am I?" including the additional evaluation of identification motives, the scales of value and achievement of general identity, the fusion of identity and identification (by the examples of the family and land), the Utrecht management of identity commitments scale, the subjective happiness scale and the self-report questionnaire of the severity of psychopathological symptoms. The analysis of the connection of the functions of certain identifications with their subjective relevance for a person enables us differentiating relatively independent modi of possession and belonging as a motivational basis of identification. At that, pro-social motives connected with the experience of belonging, demand, assistance and support are connected with the importance of identifications tighter than the motives defining the intention for management of oneself and events. It is shown that with the help of screening diagnostics, one may employ a simplified procedure of the assessment of one key (subjectively the most important) answer to the question: "Who am I?". Though, it is somewhat less accurate. The modus of belonging is associated with psychological wellbeing, positive emotions and social acceptance; the modus of possession is not of less importance for a person. Independently on the intention for belonging, the intention for possession is connected to the relevance and centrality of certain identifications, the completeness, entirety and development of identity. The both modi are not associated with the identification with the land and family by the type of self-categorization but they are connected with identity fusion (in case of belonging – with the land only). The results are discussed in the context of the scope of the approach of psychology of corporeality and opportunity to differentiate variants of personality identification.