We present a theory of how individuals compose their reflected best-self portrait, which we define as a changing self-knowledge structure about who one is at one’s best. We posit that people compose their reflected best-self portrait through social experiences that draw on intrapsychic and interpersonal resources. By weaving together microlevel theories of personal change and …
Tag Archives: identity
Ashforth, B. E., & Kreiner, G. E. (1999). “How can you do it?”: Dirty work and the challenge of constructing a positive identity. Academy of management Review, 24(3), 413-434.
The identity literature suggests that the stigma of “dirty work” threatens the ability of occupational members to construct an esteem-enhancing social identity. However, research indicates much the opposite, creating a puzzle we attempt to answer. We argue that the stigma of dirty work fosters development of a strong occupational or workgroup culture, which fosters (1) …
Dutton, J. E., Roberts, L. M., &Bednar, J. (2010). Pathways for positive identity construction at work: Four types of positive identity and the building of social resources.
In this paper we organize research on work-related identities into a four-perspective typology that captures different ways identities can be “positive.” Each perspective on positive identity—virtue, evaluative, developmental, and structural—highlights a different source of positivity and opens new avenues for theorizing about identity construction. We use these four perspectives to develop propositions about how different …