Values and National Identification in Minority and Majority Youth

Longitudinal Multi-Study Findings

authored by
Maya Benish-Weisman, Ella Daniel, Einat Elizarov, Noga Sverdlik, Peter F. Titzmann
Abstract

Collective identification is vital for adolescents, fostering well-being and connection, but scant attention has been given to drivers of national identification and their contextual variations in youth. To address this, two longitudinal studies examined how values, as guiding goals defining what individuals consider important in their lives, relate to the trajectory of national identification in majority and minority youth. Study 1 (N = 568; Mage = 16.24, SD = 0.71) and Study 2 (N = 678; Mage = 13.78, SD = 0.73) focused on majority youth (Jewish-Israelis), while Study 2 also included minority (Arab citizens of Israel). The findings highlight values as important motivators of national identification over time. Conservation values, emphasizing the preservation of the status quo and a preference for stability, were prominent motivators for the majority of adolescents. In contrast, power values, which center around climbing the social ladder and accumulating wealth, held greater significance among their minority counterparts; however, both sets of values correlated with increased national identification. The discussion touches on motivations underlying national identification, their contextual diversity, and implications for future studies.

Organisation(s)
Institute of Psychology
External Organisation(s)
Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI)
Tel Aviv University
University of Haifa
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Type
Article
Journal
Journal of youth and adolescence
Volume
53
Pages
1757-1773
No. of pages
17
ISSN
0047-2891
Publication date
08.2024
Publication status
Published
Peer reviewed
Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Social Psychology, Education, Developmental and Educational Psychology, Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
Electronic version(s)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-024-01965-0 (Access: Open)