An Investigation of Sense of Identity among College Students

In this study the construct, Sense of Identity was examined. Specifically, variables conceptually related to Sense of Identity will be described, and the nature of any relationships with personality traits including the Big Five personality traits of agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, extraversion, and openness were explored. Additionally, the study examined the nature of the relationships between narrow personality traits and Sense of Identity. Lastly, the relationships between Sense of Identity and extracurricular activities were investigated. Sense of Identity was positively related to the Big Five personality traits with a range of r=.32 to r=.46 with p<.01. Additionally, the selected Narrow Personality traits were also significantly related to Sense of Identity with Optimism and Career Drive having the strongest relationships with r=.65 (p<.01)and r=.62 (p<.01) respectively. The combination of research from multiple academic realms regarding identity into an inclusive concept that is measured empirically, allowed for a more accurate measure of the construct, Sense of Identity. It also provided valuable insight regarding the construct of Sense of Identity and personality, particularly in the academic realm. Implications for theory and future research were discussed.