Role-Model Identification in Adolescence: the Combined Effect of Situational Competence and Salience.

Abstract

In this study identification is defined as the perception that important similarities exist between the self and significant others. It is argued that identification is an active, conscious process that is related to persons' attitudes and skill competence in academic, athletic, and social endeavor. To test this proposition, the pattern and strength of ninth and twelfth grade females' and males' (N = 133) role-model identifications are assessed with an Identification Grid adaptation of the Role Construct Repertory Test (Kelly, 1955). Academic competence is measured by grade-point averages, teachers-ratings, and self-ratings. Social competence is measured by teacher-ratings, and self-ratings, while athletic competence is assessed only with self-ratings. Attitudes toward academic, athletic, and social goals are determined by analyzing subjects' responses to sets of scale items that correspond to each of these three domains. The study also charts the relationship between role-model identification and semantic construct use. Content analysis of the subjects' Identification Grids is used to categorize their semantic responses as focusing on; appearance, roles, behaviors, global evaluations of behavior, interests or physical abilities, psychological characteristics, or goals. This classification system is used to assess the relative complexity of individuals' identification and non-identification relationships. Three general hypotheses are offered: (1) there is a positive relationship between ninth and twelfth graders' strength of academic, athletic, and social role-model identification and their competence in these areas, (2) there is a positive relationship between strength of role-model identification and individuals' attitudes toward academic, athletic, and social endeavor, (3) identification relationships will be described with more abstract and involved semantic constructs than will non-identification relationships. Results indicate that ninth graders identify with their academic role-models both as a function of their level of academic competence, and their strength of endorsement of academic-goal statements. Additionally, it is shown that high-achieving ninth graders identify with their academic role-models as often as all twelfth graders, thus suggesting a develomental trend. Ninth graders' social-goal attitudes are also positively related to social role-model identification. Finally, seniors' self-ratings of athletic competence and their attitudes toward athletic goals are positively related to athletic role-model identification. Content analysis of the Identification Grids supports the hypothesis presented above. In a comparison of identification and non-identification relationships, subjects apply more terms to identifications. They also employ more concrete and superficial (role) terms to detail non-identifications, and more abstract and involved (interest, psychological) terms to characterize identifications. When the results of both sets of analyses presented above are viewed in combination, it becomes more apparent that identification is a complex process that is actively mediated, can be represented through semantic constructs, and is at least partially related to individuals' attitudes, goals, and skills. These findings also suggest that content analysis of Identification Grids provides useful information for charting the depth of individuals' role-model identifications. The generalizability of this study is limited for two of reasons. The definition of identification presented above includes only a measure of perceived similarity, and this represents only one aspect of identification. Additionally, the subjects of this investigation are predominantly white middle-class students from an urban midwestern university community. As such, the attitudes and behaviors these youths hold and demonstrate may not be representative of the population at large.