Predicting Social Intimacy by Identity Styles, Commitment and Gender

The aim of the research was to examine the role of identity styles and commitment on students’ social intimacy. On a sample of 2099 subjects (male 1008 and female 1091), Identity Styles Inventory (ISI- 6G) (White, Wampler & Winn 1998) and The Miller Social Intimacy Scale (MSIS) (Miller, & LefcourtT 1982) were applied. Using the path analysis, the direct and indirect effects of identity styles on social intimacy and the direct effect of identity styles on commitment were tested. The results showed that informational identity style on commitment has a significant positive direct effect; normative identity style has a positive direct effect on commitment and social intimacy, and sex and diffuse/avoidant identity style on commitment and social intimacy has a significant negative direct effect. The indirect effect of informational and normative identity style through commitment on was positively non-significant; and the indirect effect of sex and diffuse/avoidant through commitment on social intimacy was negatively non-significant. In conclusion, the findings suggest that commitment variable couldn’t mediate the relationship between identity styles and social intimacy in 2 sex. Implications, emphasizingon training the effective facing strategies with identity issues are discussed.