Enhancing Identity Theory Measurement: A Case Study in Ways to Advance the Subfield
| dc.contributor.author | Hayes, Whitney Ann | en |
| dc.contributor.committeechair | Reichelmann, Ashley Veronica | en |
| dc.contributor.committeechair | Ramakrishnan, Narendran | en |
| dc.contributor.committeemember | Hawdon, James E. | en |
| dc.contributor.committeemember | Brunsma, David L. | en |
| dc.contributor.department | Sociology | en |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-01-24T09:00:37Z | en |
| dc.date.available | 2024-01-24T09:00:37Z | en |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-01-23 | en |
| dc.description.abstract | Identity theory (IT) is a sociological theory that helps to explain how societal patterns and norms shape the ways in which people behave and make decisions. The current project presents a comprehensive exploration of IT in the context of academic conferences, shedding light on the multifaceted identities of sociologists as scholars, educators, activists, and beyond. It examines how these diverse roles intersect and influence behaviors within professional settings. The first article critiques traditional IT research's limitations and adopts a qualitative approach to more accurately capture how participants describe themselves, moving beyond the constraints of previous methodologies. The second piece investigates homophily–the tendency to associate with similar others. Focusing on minority identities in higher education, this study explores homophily across various demographics, such as race, gender, and academic rank, thus providing insights into the nuances of inequality within academic circles. The final article examines the impact of technology in academic conferences, particularly in the post-COVID-19 era. It analyzes how oppressed identities leverage a conference mobile app for networking, highlighting technology's role in creating inclusive environments and enhancing connections among marginalized groups. Collectively, this dissertation offers a nuanced view of identity within the academic sphere. By challenging existing IT research paradigms, introducing innovative survey techniques, linking IT with homophily, and assessing technology's influence on conference dynamics, this work enriches our understanding of sociologists' identities and interactions. It holds significant implications for future research and the development of more equitable and inclusive sociological communities, emphasizing the complex interplay of personal and professional identities in academic settings. | en |
| dc.description.abstractgeneral | This project looks at how sociologists, who are not just researchers but also teachers, activists, and more, understand and express their different roles, especially at academic conferences. It explores how these various roles affect the way they act in professional environments. The first part of the study questions the usual ways of studying this topic and tries a new method to get a deeper understanding of how people see themselves. The second part looks at how people often prefer to connect with others who are like them, focusing on how this plays out among different races, genders, and job levels in universities, shedding light on hidden inequalities. The last part examines how technology, especially after COVID-19, is used in academic conferences. It looks at how people who often face challenges or discrimination use a conference app to network, showing how technology can help make these events more welcoming and useful for everyone. Overall, this research gives us a richer picture of how sociologists balance their personal and professional lives. It challenges old ways of thinking, introduces new research methods, and shows how technology affects professional gatherings. This is important for making the field of sociology more inclusive and understanding the complex ways people interact in academic settings. | en |
| dc.description.degree | Doctor of Philosophy | en |
| dc.format.medium | ETD | en |
| dc.identifier.other | vt_gsexam:39255 | en |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10919/117633 | en |
| dc.language.iso | en | en |
| dc.publisher | Virginia Tech | en |
| dc.rights | In Copyright | en |
| dc.rights.uri | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ | en |
| dc.subject | Identity theory | en |
| dc.subject | social psychology | en |
| dc.subject | network analysis | en |
| dc.subject | academic conference | en |
| dc.title | Enhancing Identity Theory Measurement: A Case Study in Ways to Advance the Subfield | en |
| dc.type | Dissertation | en |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Sociology | en |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | en |
| thesis.degree.level | doctoral | en |
| thesis.degree.name | Doctor of Philosophy | en |