“I’m Totally Different” - Developmental Processes Underlying the Recurrent Construction of Identity Content Within Everyday Interactions

Background/Aim: Little is known about how emerging adults explore, negotiate and consolidate the meanings of their identities in peer interactions. This study examined the recurrent construction of identity claims within everyday interactions in the pursuit of local conversational goals. Methods: Six emerging adults were paired in dyads for three video-recorded conversations about ‘dating, romance, and sex’. Transcripts of the interactions were analyzed using Iterative Micro-Identity Content Analysis. Results: Recurrent identity claims included operations on identity content at three different levels. These real-time processes facilitate the formation and modification of socially relevant identity categories. Conclusion: Identity exploration may emerge from the immediate social business of everyday interactions, in which emerging adults both actively and passively contribute to the development of identity content. We highlight the tension between agency and constraints driving identity development. Future research should address the link between real-time identity processes and more long-lasting psychosocial outcomes.