The role of personal and social identity on the well – being of girls and boys University Students

Social identity theory argues there are two distinct aspects of the self-concept namely, Social and Personal Identity. It posits that individuals strive to maintain or enhance not only a positive personal identity but also a positive collective identity. Although theorists suggest that social identities should have positive effects on the lives of group members, only a few studies have assessed the relation between collective identity and well-being.
Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationship collective and personal self-esteem with subjective well-being (SWB) in two groups of the girls and boys college students.
Methods and Materials: Participants were 85 female and 62 male undergraduate students at the Loorestan University. Each participant was tested by the Collective self-esteem scale (CSE), the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, the satisfaction with life scale (SWLS) and the positive and negative affect scale (PANAS).
Results: The results show that in the girls versus boys the reliable relation between collective self-esteem and SWB is more than the personal self-esteem and SWB.
Discussion: Thus our data suggest that in the boy students, both individuals’ evaluations of themselves (Personal self-esteem) and their evaluations of their in groups (Collective Self-esteem) play mutual roles in well – being. But girls’ well – being makes sense in connection with others and their own positive senses include a minor life satisfaction.