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.
Subject (authority = RUETD)
Topic
School Psychology
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = RULIB)
ETD
Identifier
ETD_7308
PhysicalDescription
Form (authority = gmd)
electronic resource
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
1 online resource (v, 73 p. : ill.)
Note (type = degree)
Psy.D.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Identity (Psychology)
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Verbal ability
Note (type = statement of responsibility)
by Anna Braverman
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = local)
rucore10001800001
Location
PhysicalLocation (authority = marcorg); (displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
Rutgers University. Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
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License
Name
Author Agreement License
Detail
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.