Comm II Paper sample

CORRELATION OF IDENTITY AND ANXIETY

Abstract

The life of a scholar is indeed a noble one. We entered the University of the Philippines without any hint of

what we were getting ourselves into. Only to discover – quite early – that describing the college life as

difficult is a massive understatement of what our experience is and will be in the years to come. The

current research captures in essence our current predicament: anxious, confused – fed-up. Perhaps, this

may not be true in entirety, but uncontestable empirical evidence proves majority feel similarly. And as we

trudge our ways through Hell Week, we pray that nobility merits blessings. Such blessings can only come

from a man of sheer veracity; moreover, a man of altruism, wisdom, and superior knowledge of the

English language. Who can that be? Well, I speak on behalf of everyone, that we enjoyed being your

student Sir Villar. We are grateful of the knowledge of the APA you leave behind us. And as we bid

farewell, I end this abstract of pointless content.

Keywords: personal identity, state-trait anxiety, interruption theory, identity theory, correlation

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A Correlation of Identity and State-Trait Anxiety of UP Students

Erikson (as cited in Crocetti, Klimstra, Keijsers, Hale, & Meeus, 2008) writes that “the

development of a coherent and organized sense of identity is a key task in adolescence” (Introduction

section, para. 1). Current researches on social stress, however, reflect a stigma in status quo’s excessive

demands and pressures from the abundance of identities that individuals maintain (Burke, 1991, p. 836).

Thus, this development in society makes it critical that awareness about the adolescent’s identity

dynamics and incidence of anxiety is of premium.

The most compelling knowledge concerning the relationship of identity and anxiety is shown

through a relationship between the interruption theory and identity theory. Burke (1991) explains:

Social stress can be understood by incorporating interruption theory as developed in research on

stress into a model of identity processes drawn from identity theory. From this perspective, social

stress results from interruption of the feedback loop that maintains identity processes. I discuss

four mechanisms of interruption of identity processes: broken identity loops, interference between

identity systems, over-controlled identity systems, and the invocation of episodic identities. Each

of these four mechanisms is associated with conditions known to produce feelings of distress.

(p.836)

Identity as conceptualized in the research is seen as a form of personal identity. Personal identity

or self-concept “consists of certain universal human tendencies, traits, behavioral elements or capacities”

(Spencer, Brookins, & Allen, 1987, p. 157). This set of meanings that individuals uphold works as points

of references for individuals’ definition of self (Burke, 1991, p.837).

Inspection of students’ of anxiety is of core concepts of state and trait anxiety. State anxiety is

explained as a “transitory emotional state or condition of human organism” (Spielberger, Gorsuch, &

Lushene, 1970, p.3). Furthermore, trait anxiety refers to the “relatively stable individual differences in

anxiety proneness” (Spielberger et. al, 1970, p.3). Hence, 1anxiety becomes a combination of mental and

affective responses characterized by apprehension or distress (Schlenker & Leary, 1982, p. 641).

As the approach to identity and anxiety is causative in nature, the current research aims to see if

the theories remain consistent and relevant by analyzing the relationship of levels of identity and degrees

of anxiety measured of students of the University of the Philippines.

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Method

Respondents

Respondents of the research were randomly sampled from the students of the University of the

Philippines, Diliman, Manila, and Los Baños respectively. A total of 120 respondents of freshmen (n = 60,

30 males, 30 females) and seniors (n = 60, 30 males, 30 females) participated. For the pilot rating values,

two freshmen (1 male, 1 female) and two seniors (1 male, 1 female) were requested in participation

thereof.

Instruments

Cheek and Briggs’s (2013) the Aspects of Identity Questionnaire (AIQ-IV) is a multidimensional

self-evaluative identity questionnaire designed to measure four identity orientations of which personal

identity (PI) was the only scope in the study. This comprised of 10 items from which responses varied on

a 5-point scale (1 = Not important to my sense of who I am and 5 = Extremely important to my sense of

who I am). The scores ranged from 10-50, which suggested better personal identity as the score

approached 50.

In lieu of the study, Spielberge, Gorsuche, Lushene, Vagg, and Jacobs’ (1968) State-Trait Anxiety

for Adults (STAI-AD) was used to measure respondents’ levels of anxiety. The STAI-AD is also a self-

evaluative questionnaire, which consists of 20 questions for each the two types of anxiety (i.e. 2A-State

and 3A-Trait). Anxiety was measured on a 4-pont scale (1 = not at all and 4 = very much so), which in

summation ranged from 20-80. Similarly, anxiety increased as the score approached the upper limit.

Procedure

A cross-sectional survey, which consisted of the AIQ-IV and the STAI-AD, was created in Google

Forms. This was distributed through social media platforms like Facebook, and spanned from February

23 – March 28, 2014. Responses collected were recorded automatically in a Google spreadsheet. The

scoring details were manually edited using Microsoft Excel (version 2013). And the data collected was

processed through Microsoft Office Excel (version 2007).

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Results

An analyses of the respondents’ conditions showed levels of personal identity M = 3.80 (SD

= .51) and anxiety M = 2.93 (SD = .67). The calculated Pearson correlation coefficient determined a weak

but positive correlation between identity and anxiety, r(119) = .05, p < .59.

The results of the study also showed that a student’s sex or years of stay in the university didn’t

affect the personal identity. However, data established showed that students’ years of stay in the school

significantly affected their state of anxiety, but their sex did not.

Firstly, freshmen (n = 60) showed to have a relatively lower personal identity M = 3.79 (SD = .53)

compared to the seniors (n = 60) mean score M = 3.81 (SD = .49). A sample t-test revealed, however that

there is insignificant difference between the freshmen and seniors, t(59) = .18, p = .42. The research also

revealed that males (n = 60) had lower personal identity M = 3.73 (SD = .44) than their female

counterparts (n = 60) with a higher mean score M = 3.86 (SD = .44). A t-test revealed that there was

insignificant difference, t(59) = 1.43, p = .07.

The levels of anxiety computed for the freshmen M = 2.44 (SD = .61) were lower in comparison to

the mean score of the seniors M = 3.41 (SD = .24). The t-test conducted showed that there was

significant difference between the freshmen and the seniors, t(59) = 11.3, p < .001. Males were shown to

have lower levels of anxiety M = 2.84 (SD = .69) compared to the females M = 2.94 (SD = .69). Another t-

test showed a significance of the difference on the anxiety levels between the two sexes, t(59) = .90, p

= .18.

Discussion

The results of the research showed that there exists a weak but positive correlation between the

levels of identity and anxiety among the students of the University of the Philippines. These results are

not ideal in previous studies as established by Crocetti et. al (2008) who discuss that there is significant

relationship between identity and anxiety explained through a 5-year longitudinal study (p. 841). The

research also showed that students’ sex or years of stay in the university mattered little in their perceived

personal identity. This can be explained by Burke (n.d.), which says that the identity is a series of

processes of significant social events and with little focus on sociocognitive processes (p. 2). Additionally,

the research showed that students’ sex didn’t have significant contribution to one’s level of anxiety. This is

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similar to the normative data presented in a large-scaled study of the STAI (Speilberger et.al, 1970, p. 6-

8). However, the results proved that a students’ year of stay at the university contributed to their level of

anxiety. This can be accounted to the nature of the STAI-AD questionnaire, which was highly reflexive of

environmental dispositions, meaning that if stress were absent, results would indicate an absence of

anxiety (Spielbereger et. al, 1970, p. 4). This suggested that the environmental conditions of the seniors

of the University of the Philippines were conducive of stress during the period of time.

Because of the nature of the research (i.e., the absence of causative structure of research), it

would be very difficult to infer certain conclusions on how identity and anxiety truly relate in realistic

conditions in status quo.

However, the study was highly reflexive on the importance of assessing processes of identity

formation and anxiety development. This constantly expounded on certain variable traits of students that

influenced relevant aspects of their student life and adaptive natures.

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References

Crocetti, E., Klimstra, T., Keijers, L., Hale, W. H., III, & Meeus, W. (2008). Anxiety trajectories and identity

development in adolescence: A five-wave longitudinal study. J Youth Adolescence, 38, 839-849.

doi: 10.1007/s10964-008-9302-y

Burke, P.J. (1991). Identity processes and social stress. American Sociological Review, 56(6), 836-849.

Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2096259

Spencer, M. B., Brookins, G. K., & Allen, W. R. (Eds.). (1987). Black identity: Rediscovering the distinction

between personal identity and reference group orientation. Beginnings: The social and sffective

development of black children (pp. 155-176). Retrieved from http://www.google.com.ph/books?

id=RP_OURMFIpwC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f

=false

Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., & Lushene, R. E. (1970). STAI manual for the state-trait anxiety

inventory (“self-evaluation questionnaire”). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

Schlenker, B.R., & Leary, M. R. (1982). Social anxiety and self-presentation: A conceptualization and

model. Psychological Bulletin, 92(3), 641-669. doi: 0033-2909/82/9203-0641800.75

Cheek, J. M., & Briggs, S. R. (2013). Aspects of identity questionnaire (AIQ-IV). Measurement Instrument

Database for the Social Science. Retrieved from http://www.midss.ie

Spielberg C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., Lushene, R., Vagg, P. R., Jacobs, G. A. (1968). State-trait Anxiety

inventory for adults. Retrieved from http://www.mindgarden.com

Burke, P.J., & Stets, J. E. (1998). Identity theory and social identity theory. Paper presented at the Social

Psychology Section Session on Theoretical Frameworks at the Annual Meetings of the American

Sociological Association, San Francisco, CA.

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Footnotes

1Hence, it is to be expounded that feelings of distress or anxiety are manifestation of interruptions

as established.

2A-State (State Anxiety) is characterized by “feeling of tension and apprehension and heightened

autonomic nervous system activity.” (Spielberger et. al, 1970, p. 2)

3A-Trait (Trait Anxiety) is characteristic of class construct of motives or acquired behavioral

dispositions. (Spielberger, et. al, 1970, p.2)

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Table 1

Summary of Means and Standard Deviations for Scores on AIQ-IV and STAI-AD of College Students

Personal Identity State-Trait AnxietyRespondentsa M SD M SD

Freshman

Male 3.79 .53 2.44 .61

Female 3.81 .49 3.41 .24

Senior

Male 3.73 .44 2.84 .69

Female 3.86 .55 2.94 .64

Note. an = 30. The freshmen that participated in the study were students who had a registered student

number of 2013-XXXX from the University of the Philippines system. The seniors that participated in the

study were students who had a registered number of 2010-XXX from the same university campuses

aforementioned. The Aspects of Identity Questionnaire (AIQ-IV) measure is taken from Cheek and Briggs

(2013); the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults (STAI-AD) measures are from Spielberger et. al

(1968).

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Freshman, Male

Freshman, Female

Senior, Male Senior, Female

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4 Anxiety

Respondents

Mea

n Va

lue

Figure 1. Mean values of anxiety representing the average levels of anxiety for each target category.

Varying levels of anxiety are exhibited by each target category, with more significant disparity between

the freshman categories. Standard deviations are presented in the figure bar through the error bars

attached to each column.

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Comm II Paper sample