Me, Myself, and Mobility: The Relevance of Region for Young Adults‘ Identity Development

Abstract

As residential mobility is a common life event that particularly affects young adults, regional identity may be relevant for young adults. We therefore extended the three–dimensional identity model to the regional domain. The development of regional identity was studied using a prospective design over six months with a sample of 1,795 post–secondary graduates (71% female, mean age of 24.54 years), containing both movers and non–movers. Latent profile analyses and latent profile transition analyses revealed three main findings: First, solutions with four regional identity statuses—moratorium, searching moratorium, closure, and achievement—were found to be most interpretable. Second, the emergent statuses differed substantially in terms of Big Five personality traits and life satisfaction, as well as with moving experience. Third, the stability of identity status membership across a period of six months was highest for the non–movers group. Comparatively less stability across time was found for the movers, underscoring the relevance of transitions for identity development. Taken together, these findings show that even in a mobile world, region matters in identity development. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Personality Psychology