Consequences of enactment and concealment for felt authenticity: Understanding the effects of stigma through self‐distancing and motive fulfillment

• Published in: European journal of social psychology 2020-10, Vol.50 (6), p.1227-1247
• Main Authors: Crabtree, Meghan A., Pillow, David R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Authenticity; Concealment; Enactment; Identity; identity concealment; identity enactment; motivated identity construction theory; Satisfaction; self‐determination theory; Stigma
• ISSN: 0046-2772; 1099-0992
• DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.2680

Grounded in Motivated Identity Construction Theory and Self‐Determination Theory, two studies examined the consequences of identity enactment and concealment for motive fulfillment and explored how these mediate the negative effects of stigmatized identities on felt authenticity. Participants (Ns = 343 and 344) reported the extent to which they had enacted and/or concealed 8 to 12 of their identities in the past 3 days and evaluated their motive fulfillment and felt authenticity. Using multilevel modeling, we found that identity enactment positively predicted felt authenticity via motive satisfaction, while concealment negatively predicted authenticity via thwarted motive satisfaction. Identities were coded with respect to stigmatization in Study 2 and stigmatized identities felt relatively less authentic, with effects mediated through suppressed enactment, heightened concealment, and thwarted motives. Thus, stigmatized identities do not inherently feel less authentic, rather it is individuals’ self‐distancing behaviors that impair feelings of authenticity for a stigmatized identity.