Multiple Identities and Academic Achievement:The Effects of Role Accumulation on

Successful Student Role Performance

Richard N. Pitt, Jr.Department of Sociology

Interdisciplinary Seminar on Social PsychologySeptember 1, 2004

Abstract

This paper examines the likelihood that the number of roles an actor assumes affects how well she performs the roles in her constellation of role-identities. Specifically, I examine the effects of role accumulation on successful performance of the student role. I therefore address the following question:

How do role accumulation and specific role occupancies affect student role performance?

Role-IdentitySpouse

Role-IdentityParent

Role-IdentityOrg. Volunteer

Role-IdentityEmployee

Role-IdentityNeighbor

Role-IdentityFriend

Role-IdentitySibling

What Are Role-Identities?

Role-IdentityChurch Member

IdentityReligious Person

What Is Role Accumulation?

IdentityReligious Person

IdentityReligious Person

Effect Of Accumulation Of Roles Is Questionable•On Psychological Well-Being . . . . Thoits 1992 •On Self Esteem . . . . Reitzes and Mutran 1994•For Certain Ethnic Minorities . . . . Braboy Jackson 1997

PsychologicalPsychologicalWell-BeingWell-BeingOf AdultsOf Adults

Prior Research On Role Accumulation

Accumulation Of Roles Is Detrimental•Goode 1960•Coser 1974•Mayhew 1995

Limited amount of energy,time and other resources

leads to role strain/conflict.

Accumulation Of Roles Is Beneficial•Sieber 1974•Marks 1977•Thoits 1983, 1986•Menaghan 1989

Increased Sense of SelfResources & Network Support

Ego-gratification

PsychologicalPsychologicalWell-BeingWell-BeingOf AdultsOf Adults

Do The Possible Effects of Role Accumulation Extend Beyond Psychological Well-Being And

Affect The Performance Of The Roles The Actor Takes On?

Does Role Accumulation Have A Positive Impact On

Performance Of The Student Role Of High School Students?

Do The Possible Effects of Role Accumulation Extend Beyond Psychological Well-Being And

Affect The Performance Of The Roles The Actor Takes On?

Does Role Accumulation Have A Positive Impact On

Performance Of The Student Role Of High School Students?

Role-IdentityRole-IdentityPerformancePerformance

Of KidsOf Kids

Effect Of Accumulation Of Roles Is Questionable

Prior Research On Role Accumulation

Accumulation Of Roles Is Detrimental

Accumulation Of Roles Is Beneficial

This Research’s Central Question

Does Role Accumulation Have A Positive Impact On

Performance Of The Student Role Of High School Students?

H2: Role Accumulation Has a

Positive But Curvilinear

Effect On Grades

H1: Role Accumulation Has a

PositiveEffect On Grades

Self-Esteem

Increased Networks

Ego-Gratification

Energy Spent Maintaining Increased

Networks

Time Management Challenges

++----

This Research’s Hypotheses

Role-IdentityRole-IdentityPerformancePerformance

++//----

Does Role Accumulation Have A Positive Impact On

Performance Of The Student Role Of High School Students?

H3: Premature Acquisition of Adult

Obligatory Roles May Damage Student

PerformanceAnd Cause That Curvilinearity.

The Problem OfNon-Normative Roles

(i.e., parent and spouse)----

This Research’s Hypotheses

Role-IdentityRole-IdentityPerformancePerformance

Methods and Data

Dataset: National Education Longitudinal Study

Dependent Variable: Senior year grades in core subjects (English, history, science, and math) where F average is “1” and A average is “8”.

Independent Variable: Sum of social positions held by each senior, using 8 fairly stable social positions.

Nonacademic Controls: Gender, race, family SES

Academic/Culture Controls: 10th grade test scores, 10th grade grades in core subjects, and pro-school peer effects.

79%76%57%43%42%35%4%3%Of H.S. Seniors

% of Students With Each Number Of Role-Identities And Their Mean

Grades

0 Role-Identities5% D+1 Role-Identity 12% C-2 Role-Identities9% B-3 Role-Identities19% B4 Role-Identities26% B+5 Role-Identities21% B+6 Role-Identities7% A-7 Role-Identities<1% C+8 Role-Identities <1% C+

More On Data

0.40***

-0.04***

0.12*

Id

0.30***-0.31***-0.31**-0.07*0.34***0.12***0.05***0.57***0.04

-3.26***

0.40***

-0.04***

0.10*

0.06***

0.31***-0.31***-0.29**-0.08*0.34***0.13***0.05***0.57***0.09

-3.09***

0.40***

-0.04***

10th

Id

0.30***-0.31***-0.24**-0.08*0.34***0.10***0.05***0.55***0.06

-3.78***

Regression of Number of Role-Identities and Other Variables On The

Grades of High School Seniors12th Grade # of Ids

12th Grade # of Ids2

10th Grade # of Ids

Id Change From 10th to 12th

FemaleAfrican-AmericanNative AmericanHispanic, LatinoAsian-AmericanFamily SES10th Grade Scores10th Grade GradesPro-School Peer AttitudesIntercept

12th

12th

10th

Id

0.31***-0.30***-0.30**-0.09*0.34***0.12***0.04***0.58***0.08

-2.92****p<.05 **p<.01 ***p<.001

MaximumRole-

Identities

0.31***

-0.04***

10th

Id

0.09-0.040.15***0.15***0.09**

-0.22**-0.18* 0.08**0.55***0.06

-3.78***

Regression of Number of Role-Identities and Role Holdings On The

Grades of High School Seniors12th Grade # of Ids

12th Grade # of Ids2

10th Grade # of Ids

Id Change From 10th to 12th

Friend (in 12th grade)Sibling (in 12th grade)Group Member (in 12th grade)Team Athlete (in 12th grade)Church Member (in 12th grade)Spouse (in 12th grade)Parent (in 12th grade)Employee (in 12th grade)10th Grade GradesPro-School Peer AttitudesIntercept

0.40***

-0.04***

10th

Id

0.09-0.04-0.15**-0.15*0.09***0.22***0.18***0.58***0.08

-2.92****p<.05 **p<.01 ***p<.001

Regression of Number of Role-Identities and Other Variables On The

Grades of High School Seniors12th Grade # of Ids

12th Grade # of Ids2

10th Grade # of Ids

Id Change From 10th to 12th

FemaleAfrican-AmericanNative AmericanHispanic, LatinoAsian-AmericanFamily SES10th Grade Scores10th Grade GradesPro-School Peer AttitudesIntercept

*p<.05 **p<.01 ***p<.001

“Maximum”Role-

Identities

All Students Who Are Parents/Spouses Have Been Removed From Data

(n=3648)

0.19***

-0.03

0.28***-0.30***-0.23**-0.07*0.33***0.10***0.03***0.55***0.04

-4.65***

Other Parts Of The Current Project

•Analysis of the interaction of role summation with specific 2 or 4 role role-combinations . . . similar findings.

•The causality question . . . previous (i.e., 10th grade) levels of ability have either no impact (scores) or a negative impact (grades) on the number of roles seniors have.

So, What Do Reviewers Say?

“NELS has the potential to provide salience info for each of these identities (i.e., how much time the student spends in these organizations and whether they participated as a member or officer).”“Expand the predicted outcomes to include more outcomes interesting to education scholars (e.g., dropout) or the mechanisms the author points to (e.g., self-esteem)”

“I’m not convinced that the number of role-identities influences school performance versus the other way around. What about selectivity effects?”

“The empirical literature has long since discredited the uniform effect of social roles. Therefore, this idea of a “count” variable being meaningful is difficult to swallow.

“While I’m persuaded by the role accumulation/summation argument, maybe the author is really studying social bonds and commitment?”