The Empirical Structure of Narrative Identity: The Initial Big Three

Abstract

A robust empirical literature suggests that individual differences in the thematic and structural aspects of life narratives are associated with and predictive of psychological well-being. However, one limitation of the current field is the multitude of ways of capturing these narrative features, with little attention to overarching dimensions or latent factors of narrative that are responsible for these associations with well-being. In the present study we uncovered a reliable structure that accommodates commonly studied features of life narratives in a large-scale, multi-University collaborative effort. Across three large samples of emerging and mid-life adults responding to various narrative prompts (N = 855 participants, N = 2565 narratives), we found support for three factors of life narratives: motivational and affective themes, autobiographical reasoning, and structural aspects. We also identified a “functional” model of these three factors that reveals a reduced set of narrative features that adequately captures each factor. Additionally, motivational and affective themes was the factor most reliably related to well-being. Finally, associations with personality traits were variable by narrative prompt. Overall, the present findings provide a comprehensive and robust model for understanding the empirical structure of narrative identity as it relates to well-being, which offers meaningful theoretical contributions to the literature, and facilitates practical decision making for researchers endeavoring to capture and quantify life narratives.

Intraindividual Variability in Narrative Identity: Complexities, Garden Paths, and Untapped Research Potential

“…The study varied event type (low point, a transgression, a turning point, and a high point) and audience (the ‘original’ prompt, mother, and friend, with the latter counterbalanced) in a fully within‐subjects design. With respect to event type, a typical ‘snapshot’ of the life story interview is provided by the low point, turning point, and high point narratives (e.g, McLean et al, 2019); we added transgression narratives based on work showing their importance for identity (Mansfield et al, 2015) and because such events challenge people's sense of themselves as good people (Pasupathi et al, 2015), providing an important addition for examinations of narrative differentiation. The ‘original prompt’ was included because it reflects the way most narrative identity research is conducted.…”

“…The resulting 12 narratives were coded for two structural elements (elaboration, which is structural in that it provides the needed detailed information to move a story forward; Fivush, Bohanek, Zaman, & Grapin, 2012; and resolution, which brings the story to a close), exploration of the identity implications of the event (autobiographical reasoning; McLean et al, 2019), and two affective themes (growth themes and damage themes). Note that our initial results showed that elaboration and identity exploration were highly correlated, in line with similar findings about elaboration and exploration in previous work (McLean et al, 2019); hence, we combined these codes into a single elaboration/exploration code for analysis.…”

“…A narrative can be characterized along many dimensions depending on the research question at stake. Within the personality literature, both conceptual and factor analytic approaches have converged on a core set of organizing dimensions that (i) capture central individual differences in narratives; (ii) emerge across child development in theoretically predicted ways; and (iii) are relevant for adaptive outcomes like psychological well‐being (Adler et al, 2016; Fivush, Booker, & Graci, 2017; Graci et al, 2018; McLean et al, 2019). Critical dimensions that have emerged are structural properties of narratives (elaboration and coherence) and motivational/affective properties (growth themes, redemption, contamination, ending valence).…”

“…However, some researchers focus on a single event narrative as a window into narrative identity—as reflecting some of those consistencies (e.g. McLean & Pratt, 2006; Pals, 2006; Syed & Azmitia, 2008).…”

Both sides of the story: Narratives of romantic infidelity

“…Indeed, Sarbin (1986) argued that narrative is an appropriate “root metaphor” or organizing principle for human psychology as it captures the way we think about ourselves, others, and the enveloping social world. Such theorizing has given rise to a growing body of work using narrative methods to elucidate how people make sense of important life events and incorporate them into their identities, or narrative identities (Adler, Lodi‐Smith, Philippe, & Houle, 2016; McAdams, 2001; McLean et al, 2020).…”