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Family arrangements, identity verification, and happiness
Jan E Stets1, Phoenicia Fares1, Melanie Kushida1
1Department of Sociology, University of California, Riverside, USA.
Social Science Research
|November 5, 2022
Summary
Family structures and identity verification impact happiness. Identity verification boosts happiness in traditional families but not in non-traditional ones, showing how social support influences well-being.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Family structures are diverse and evolving.
- Cultural meanings shape individual experiences within families.
- Identity verification is a key aspect of self-perception.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between family structure, identity verification, and happiness.
- To investigate how normative and non-normative family arrangements influence the link between identity verification and happiness.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2014 General Social Survey Identity Module (N=1304).
- Analyzed associations between family arrangements, parent/non-parent identity verification, and general happiness.
Main Results:
- Parent/non-parent identity verification positively correlates with happiness in normative family arrangements.
- This positive association is not found in non-normative family arrangements.
- Cultural and social support for family structures may mediate the impact on happiness.
Conclusions:
- Social structures and cultural support systems play a crucial role in how identity verification influences happiness.
- Macro-level social factors interact with micro-level identity processes to affect emotional well-being.
- Understanding these dynamics offers insights into the lived experiences within diverse family forms.
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