Yanis Koc (Ass. Pr, Groningen Univ). Navigating Multiple (and Sometimes Conflicting) Identities: Understanding Integration and Dual Identification

Séminaire invité (équipe PS2C)

Dr. Yasin Koc 
Assistant Professor of Social Psychology, University of Groningen, Netherlands

People belong to multiple social groups, and they derive psychological benefits from these group memberships (Vignoles, 2011). The social cure approach highlights the protective benefits of identifying with multiple groups, suggesting an additive effect on wellbeing (Jetten et al., 2017). Yet, these benefits depend not only on how central a group is to the self (Turner et al., 1987), but also on how compatible one’s identities are (Koc & Vignoles, 2016). When identities are perceived as conflicting, individuals may feel “caught” between them (Benet-Martínez et al., 2002), undermining identification and its psychological benefits. The extent and impact of such conflict are shaped by identity content and social context. Conversely, identity integration—experiencing multiple identities as compatible—predicts better mental health and wellbeing (Chen et al., 2008).
In this talk, I present a series of studies from a decade of my own research on multiple identities, focusing on identity integration, dual identification, and gateway groups, and draw theoretical connections across these domains.