TY - JOUR TI - Verbal ability and identity development DO - https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3M90BZG PY - 2016 AB - This study examined the relationship between verbal ability, as measured by the Vocabulary and the Similarities subtests of the WAIS-IV, and identity exploration and identity commitment, as measured by the exploration and commitment scales of the Ego Identity Process Questionnaire (EIPQ). The sample consisted of 23 undergraduate students from Rutgers University. Identity exploration refers to the process of exploring and considering alternative sets of values and beliefs, while identity commitment involves making a choice to adhere to certain values. Individuals can exhibit various levels of both exploration and commitment. For instance, they may be actively exploring without having committed, committed without having truly explored alternatives, etc. The literature suggests that individuals explore alternative sets of values by creating self-narratives, or stories about the various social interactions and events in their lives. These narratives can range from complex and insight-driven to more simple and factual. The literature suggests that there is a link between higher complexity and more insight in narratives and higher identity exploration scores. The main hypothesis of the current study was that since verbal ability is associated with narrative construction, and since narrative construction is associated with identity exploration, there must be a positive correlation between verbal ability and identity exploration. This hypothesis was confirmed: When verbal intelligence, non-verbal intelligence, well-being (as measured by the BDI) and gender were regressed on identity exploration scores a significant positive main effect of verbal intelligence on identity exploration were detected. When a similar multiple regression analysis was conducted with identity commitment as the dependent variable no main effect of verbal intelligence was detected. In addition, a significant main effect of well-being on identity commitment was detected, confirming existing findings in the literature. KW - School Psychology KW - Identity (Psychology) KW - Verbal ability LA - eng ER -