Adler et al. (2016) – The incremental validity of narrative identity in predicting well-being
View the publicationShort summary
The authors analyze narrative life stories of participants and examine how narrative characteristics correlate with well-being. They test whether narrative identity has unique predictive value beyond stable personality traits.
Methodology
Empirical longitudinal research with narrative coding and well-being measurements.
Key findings
Narrative identity predicts well-being over and above traditional personality traits. The way people narratively structure their experiences has unique psychological implications.
Practical implication for leadership
Contexts that offer space for meaning-making influence not only motivation, but also identity formation and well-being.
Meaning of INR
Within the INR framework, this study supports the view that narrative processing of behavior is an independent psychological factor. Behavior not only influences motivation but, through narrative integration, becomes part of the self-concept, which in turn influences sustainable behavioral development.
