Identity salience and the life domains of work and nonwork

The present study investigated the concept of identity salience, the relative importance of a given identity for self definition. The knowledge base of identity salience was extended in two ways. First, an exploratory study of the nature of individual's freely chosen identities was conducted, including the number and types of identities people choose when contemplating their total selves. Second, a multidimensional measure of identity salience was constructed which classified participants into one of four subgroups utilizing the most salient nonwork and work identities (i.e., low/low, low/high, high/low, or high/high). The subgroups were used to investigate the predictive interaction of identity salience with other predictors of job involvement. This was accomplished by developing and analyzing a symmetrical conceptual model incorporating work and nonwork domain variables. Multigroup structural equation modeling techniques were utilized. Participants (N=201) were volunteers who were paid employees in one of nine organizations which took part in the study. An anonymous self-report questionnaire was used to gather the data which included scales to measure identity salience, job involvement, and the other predictor variables (i.e., work centrality, role conflict, social support, and person- environment fit). All hypotheses with the exception of one were supported. The moderating effect of identity salience was found for all paths in the conceptual model. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.