Being part of society: Internalized values and cognitive well-being

Abstract

This study, which was conducted with participants who identified their ethnic identity as Turkish, examines the relationship between identity fusion with Turkish society and life satisfaction (cognitive well-being) based on the Identity Fusion Theory; and tests the mediating role of internalized positive (interrelational orientation) and negative (sexism) prevalent values in Turkish culture. Undergraduate students, participated in the pilot study, were 257 females and 107 males with the age range of 18-33 (M-age = 22.24; SD = 2.80); in the main study, were 290 females and 143 males with the age range of 13-31 (M-age = 21.56; SD = 2.46). When the gender-based group differences on research variables were examined, compared to men, women's cognitive evaluations for their own lives were found to be more positive and interrelational orientations to be higher; and compared to women, men's hostile-sexist and benevolent-sexist attitudes were discovered to be stronger. Regarding the mediational model testing, as identity fusion with Turk-ish society increased, interrelational orientation and benevolent-sexist attitudes strengthened, which in turn support-ed individuals' life satisfaction. In addition, identity fusion with Turkish society positively predicted hostile-sexist attitudes, but the relationship between hostile sexism and life satisfaction was not significant. The study contributes to the literature and provides a useful source for individuals interested in subjective well-being, intra-group processes and Turkish society or Turkish culture.