Ethnic identity is defined in terms of the interaction between exploration of and commitment to a given cultural background. The present study investigated the effect of individual background, role transitions, and the social environment on the development of ethnic identity in a sample of German adults aged 21-73 years (N = 2,940). Additionally, identity transitions and the moderating effect of disequilibrating life events on identity over time were examined (N = 827). Overall, results are consistent with findings for other identity domains: Respondents could be assigned to one of four identity stages, ranging from unexamined to achieved identity. Particularly, the individual background and the extent of community involvement affected ethnic identity formation in adulthood. Longitudinal analyses revealed that only one-third of respondents had remained in the same identity stage; most individuals had transitioned forward or backward. Changes in ethnic identity were not moderated by disequilibrating life events.
Statement of contributionIdentity development has been acknowledged as a central task of adolescence (Erikson, 1968;Marcia, 1994). Most research work on identity development has focussed on this phase of life. However, identity formation is not necessarily complete by the end of adolescence; rather, it can occur throughout the life span (Cramer, 2004;Fadjukoff & Kroger, 2016;Kroger, 2007). The few studies to date that have examined identity development across adulthood, focussed on the domains occupational career, intimate relationships, religious beliefs, ideology, or lifestyle. Even fewer have investigated identity development patterns longitudinally. In this regard, the present author was unable to identify any research to date on the domain of ethnic identity development, as measured by the components exploration and commitment (Erikson, 1994;Marcia, 1994;Phinney, 2003). Exploration has been described, for example, as gathering information about roles and values of one's cultural background, integrating new information, or re-evaluating existing commitment. Commitment refers to positive affirmation of roles and values of and a sense of belonging to one's culture or ethnic group (Phinney, 2003). Based on the interaction of these two factors, individuals haveThis is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.