From a lifespan developmental perspective, the journey towards an established sense of self is present throughout life. Still, it is especially prominent during the ‘third decade of life’ when emerging adults have the opportunity to reflect on the past, present, and future. This research project includes status and narrative perspectives and is focused on the interface between identity dimensions and socio-cultural contexts (such as family, romantic relationships, social media, and education), with a strong appreciation for the dynamics of diversity in the multicultural milieu of South Africa. Research questions include:

• How do emerging adults define themselves? Which identity domains (gender/sexual, ethnic, career/professional, spiritual) are salient in their lives?

• What processes do individuals follow to resolve what Erikson called the ‘identity crisis’? How do they explore their ‘possible selves’ and finally commit to an integrated but multidimensional understanding of who they are?

• How is identity development informed by contextual aspects such as friends, families, romance, higher-education studies, the workplace, and social media?

• What are the challenges that individuals experience in the process of finding a sense of self?

The Africa Long Life Study (ALLS) was conceived to explore psychological development of young adults in three African countries over a five-year period. We use mixed-methods and both etic (imported) and emic (localized) approaches to test findings from other contexts for replicability, and to build theory about local phenomena and topics of interest from the bottom up.

ALLS samples provide a strong contrast to Western samples, differing in many social, cultural, ecological, and historical respects. This allows for strong tests of the universality of models, measures, and theories, thus helping to distinguish more universal from more culturally-specific aspects of psychology. This project is also inspired by applied goals, including team members who are counseling or clinical psychologists and school teachers, motivated to contribute useful knowledge for local practitioners, education, and policy. In addition to these scientific and practical goals, a core value of the ALLS is to be shaped by input from community members. This has meant, for example, increasing the degree to which we focus on mental health, based on feedback from multiple parties.

The ALLS includes both a traditional longitudinal component with variables assessed annually or every six months, and a panel component, with variables administered once or twice. This allows us to plan many studies for the initial five years, with four general topic areas guiding study plans: Personality, Mental Health, Emerging Adulthood, and Cultural Mindset.

More information is available here.
 

The aim of this project is to investigate the relationships between identity and personality. and quality of life in different regions of the world. More specifically, the focus of this study is on exploring the understudied phenomenon of parental identity, with the aim to integrate literature/research findings in the fields of 1) the transition into parenthood and 2) identity development. Research questions include: a) How do emerging and early adult parents perceive and experience the process of development of their parental identity? , and b) How do emerging and early adult parents commit and identify with the parental role, conduct in-depth exploration about parenting and portray reconsideration of commitment?

More information is available here.
 

The aim of this research project is to explore and describe the various identity formations, negotiations, and performances of South African students as they transition into adulthood.

More specifically, the research project aims to gain insight into:

• Students’ experiences of the various selves they negotiate/prioritise while contending with student life.

• Students’ views of university culture (of both current and ideal culture) as a reflection of a fast-transforming and decolonising society.

• Students’ perceptions of their role as socially responsible students, adults, and citizens of South Africa. 

The formation of an adaptive identity, at personal and social levels, can be a complex and often difficult endeavour. Identities are multilayered and there are multiple internal and external sources of influence that impact how identities are (re)constructed and maintained. Hence, identity interventions are important and sometimes imperative to facilitate adaptive and healthy identity formation, by targeting positive and negative sources of influence. A special issue, “Identity Interventions” in Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research, aims to bring together contributions that focus on the development, implementation, and evaluation of identity interventions.
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/hidn20/25/2

Participating Universities: Utrecht University (the Netherlands) and University of the Free State (South Africa).

• Academic identity - How students make sense of themselves as emerging professionals and scholars within different disciplines.
• Social identity - How relationships with family, communities, peers, educators, and campus communities contribute to identity development.
• Institutional identity - How identification with a particular school, university, or programme shapes student identity.
• Intersectionality - How student identity intersects with other identities such as race, gender, language, and culture.
• Experiences of inclusion and exclusion - How belonging, marginalisation, or institutional structures affect student identity formation.
• Student well-being - How academic pressures, support systems, and mental health resources influence both student identity and the overall student experience.