Self-Identity Change and the Role Transition Process

Group Rites and Trainer Wrongs in Employee Experiences of Job Change

“…It is reasoned in line with cognitive dissonance theory that the more intense the person's suering to achieve a goal the more valued it comes to be regarded (Aronson and Mills, 1959). Boyanowsky (1984), however, suggests that this process is not speci®c to adversity but applies also to a range of experiences which are deeply involving, intense and dramatic. Suering, therefore, may represent only one form of a wider class of transforming events.…”

“…By this is meant that ritual ordeal typically comprised acts attempting to engender hazing and uncertainty in the trainee. Boyanowsky (1984) de®nes hazing as acts which expose the newcomer to stress of an intensity equivalent to the degree of change being undertaken. Certain established features of the formal training procedure also were deployed in exaggerated form in order to`up-end' or in other words frustrate the expectations of the newcomer.…”

Negative self-regard at work – Frustrating the need for self-enhancement and self-consistency

“…One example of how the self can become split in this manner is a constant stressful role transition between work and non-work (i.e. the private and public life), particularly in the absence of social support (Allen & van de Vliert, 1984;Boyanowsky, 1984;Bruner & Kalmar, 1998;Elliot, 1986;Hirsch & Jolly, 1984;Levi, 1981;Scheier & Carver, 1983;Strasser, 1984;Van de Vliert, 1984).…”

“…This splitting of the self, also noted by authors ranging from James (1890) to Bruner and Kalmar (1998), Elliot (1986), Strasser (1984), and Scheier and Carver (1983), has been linked to feelings of emptiness, selfdestructiveness, withdrawal of emotional life, deep feelings of unhappiness, and the reckless pursuit of desire; similar to some of the issues which police psychologists reported police officers to be experiencing. The absence of adequate social support makes the splitting of the self even more likely (Allen & van de Vliert, 1984;Boyanowsky, 1984;Elliot, 1986;Bruner & Kalmar, 1998).…”