Identity-based motivation and health.
Daphna Oyserman1, Stephanie A Fryberg, Nicholas Yoder
1Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248, USA. daphna.oyserman@umich.edu
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|December 13, 2007
Summary
Social identities influence health behaviors. For racial-ethnic minorities, unhealthy habits can be seen as in-group defining, leading to health fatalism and reduced health promotion efforts.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Health Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- People often engage in unhealthy behaviors and exhibit health fatalism, rather than taking proactive health-promoting actions.
- Identity-based motivation, where social identities shape beliefs about group goals and strategies, is a key mechanism underlying these patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of identity-based motivation on health behaviors and beliefs across seven studies.
- To examine how racial-ethnic minority identity influences perceptions of health promotion and unhealthy behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Seven experimental studies were conducted.
- Methods included priming racial-ethnic identity and socioeconomic status.
- Participants considered similarities to different social groups (e.g., middle-class Whites).
Main Results:
- Racial-ethnic minority participants associated health promotion with White middle-class norms and unhealthy behaviors with their in-group.
- Priming race-ethnicity and low socioeconomic status increased health fatalism and decreased access to health knowledge.
- Perceived efficacy of health-promoting activities decreased when participants identified unhealthy behaviors as in-group defining and considered similarities to Whites.
Conclusions:
- Identity-based motivation significantly impacts health-related beliefs and behaviors.
- Racial-ethnic minority status can be linked to health fatalism and reduced engagement in health promotion due to identity-based perceptions.
- Interventions addressing health disparities should consider the role of social identity in shaping health choices.
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