The purposes of the study were to a) examine the relationship between level of voice (LOV) and support for voice (SFV) and ideological identity exploration, and b) to expand the theoretical and empirical discussion regarding identity development and socialization forces in African American emerging adults. The study built on the empirical work of Grotevant and Cooper (1985), that established a relationship between ideological exploration, the expression of one's thoughts and opinions to parents, and the corresponding levels of support received from each parent. In keeping with Grotevant and Cooper's study, ideological identity exploration was conceptualized in the current study using Marcia's (1966) identity status model. The ability to be true to oneself, conceptualized and measured as Level of Voice (LOV) or the ability to express one's thoughts and opinions, was based on Harter's empirical work on authentic self-behavior. Support, conceptualized and measured as the perception of respect and interest in what one has to say or support for voice (SFV), was also drawn from this body of literature. Examining ideological identity and various socialization forces in African Americans was an expansion on the wider body of identity literature that predominantly focuses on racial/ethnic identity in this population. The conceptualization of familial socialization forces was expanded to include mother (figures), father (figures), adult relatives, as well as fictive kin. Furthermore, the inclusion of extrafamilial socialization forces expanded the broader body of identity literature. The relationships of peers and instructors/advisors included in this investigation were selected based on the theoretical writings of Erikson (1968). The final sample included 373 participants (67.3% female and 32.7% male) of whom 92.4% were between the ages of 18 and 23. Gender differences emerged relative to the collective influence of LOV and SFV on exploration, as well as to the influence of the various relational contexts under investigation. Males with higher levels of exploration had higher LOV with father (figures) and lower LOV with instructors/advisors. Females with higher exploration levels indicated increased LOV with fictive kin but lower LOV with adult relatives when controlling for the effects of familial SFV. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Family and Child Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2006. / March 24, 2006. / Family Relations, Social Relations, Identity, True Self-Behavior, Support / Includes bibliographical references. / Ann K. Mullis, Professor Directing Dissertation; Stephen A. Rollin, Outside Committee Member; Mary W. Hicks, Committee Member; Ronald L. Mullis, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_182362 |
| Contributors | Golden-Thompson, Amber (authoraut), Mullis, Ann K. (professor directing dissertation), Rollin, Stephen A. (outside committee member), Hicks, Mary W. (committee member), Mullis, Ronald L. (committee member), Department of Family and Child Sciences (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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