1. Multiple Identities and Academic Achievement: The Effects of Role Accumulation on Successful Student Role Performance Richard N. Pitt, Jr. Department of Sociology Interdisciplinary Seminar on Social Psychology September 1, 2004

2. Abstract This paper examines the likelihood that the number of roles an actor assumes affects how well she performs the roles in her constellation of role-identities. Specifically, I examine the effects of role accumulation on successful performance of the student role. I therefore address the following question: How do role accumulation and specific role occupancies affect student role performance?

3. Role-Identity Spouse Role-Identity Parent Role-Identity Org. Volunteer Role-Identity Employee Role-Identity Neighbor Role-Identity Friend Role-Identity Sibling What Are Role-Identities? Role-Identity Church Member Identity Religious Person What Is Role Accumulation? Identity Religious Person Identity Religious Person

4. Effect Of Accumulation Of Roles Is Questionable On Psychological Well-Being.... Thoits 1992 On Self Esteem.... Reitzes and Mutran 1994 For Certain Ethnic Minorities.... Braboy Jackson 1997 PsychologicalWell-Being Of Adults Prior Research On Role Accumulation Accumulation Of Roles Is Detrimental Goode 1960 Coser 1974 Mayhew 1995 Limited amount of energy, time and other resources leads to role strain/conflict. Accumulation Of Roles Is Beneficial Sieber 1974 Marks 1977 Thoits 1983, 1986 Menaghan 1989 Increased Sense of Self Resources & Network Support Ego-gratification

5. PsychologicalWell-Being Of Adults Do The Possible Effects of Role Accumulation Extend Beyond Psychological Well-Being And Affect The Performance Of The Roles The Actor Takes On? Does Role Accumulation Have A Positive Impact On Performance Of The Student Role Of High School Students? Do The Possible Effects of Role Accumulation Extend Beyond Psychological Well-Being And Affect The Performance Of The Roles The Actor Takes On? Does Role Accumulation Have A Positive Impact On Performance Of The Student Role Of High School Students? Role-IdentityPerformance Of Kids Effect Of Accumulation Of Roles Is Questionable Prior Research On Role Accumulation Accumulation Of Roles Is Detrimental Accumulation Of Roles Is Beneficial This Research’s Central Question

6. Does Role Accumulation Have A Positive Impact On Performance Of The Student Role Of High School Students? H 2 : Role Accumulation Has a Positive But Curvilinear Effect On Grades H 1 : Role Accumulation Has a Positive Effect On Grades Self-Esteem Increased Networks Ego-Gratification Energy Spent Maintaining Increased Networks Time Management Challenges +-- This Research’s Hypotheses Role-IdentityPerformance +/--

7. Does Role Accumulation Have A Positive Impact On Performance Of The Student Role Of High School Students? H 3 : Premature Acquisition of Adult Obligatory Roles May Damage Student Performance And Cause That Curvilinearity. The Problem Of Non-Normative Roles (i.e., parent and spouse) -- This Research’s Hypotheses Role-IdentityPerformance

8. Methods and Data Dataset: National Education Longitudinal Study Dependent Variable: Senior year grades in core subjects (English, history, science, and math) where F average is “1” and A average is “8”. Independent Variable: Sum of social positions held by each senior, using 8 fairly stable social positions. Nonacademic Controls: Gender, race, family SES Academic/Culture Controls: 10 th grade test scores, 10 th grade grades in core subjects, and pro-school peer effects. 79%76%57%43%42% 35%4%3% Of H.S. Seniors

9. % of Students With Each Number Of Role-Identities And Their Mean Grades 0 Role-Identities5%D+ 1 Role-Identity12%C- 2 Role-Identities9%B- 3 Role-Identities19%B 4 Role-Identities26%B+ 5 Role-Identities21%B+ 6 Role-Identities7%A- 7 Role-Identities<1%C+ 8 Role-Identities <1%C+ More On Data

10. 0.40*** -0.04*** 0.12* Id 0.30*** -0.31*** -0.31** -0.07* 0.34*** 0.12*** 0.05*** 0.57*** 0.04 -3.26*** 0.40*** -0.04*** 0.10* 0.06*** 0.31*** -0.31*** -0.29** -0.08* 0.34*** 0.13*** 0.05*** 0.57*** 0.09 -3.09*** 0.40*** -0.04*** 10 th Id 0.30*** -0.31*** -0.24** -0.08* 0.34*** 0.10*** 0.05*** 0.55*** 0.06 -3.78*** Regression of Number of Role-Identities and Other Variables On The Grades of High School Seniors 12 th Grade # of Ids 12 th Grade # of Ids 2 10 th Grade # of Ids Id Change From 10 th to 12 th Female African-American Native American Hispanic, Latino Asian-American Family SES 10 th Grade Scores 10 th Grade Grades Pro-School Peer Attitudes Intercept 12 th 10 th Id 0.31*** -0.30*** -0.30** -0.09* 0.34*** 0.12*** 0.04*** 0.58*** 0.08 -2.92*** *p<.05 **p<.01 ***p<.001 Maximum Role-Identities

11. 0.31*** -0.04*** 10 th Id 0.09 -0.04 0.15*** 0.09** -0.22** -0.18* 0.08** 0.55*** 0.06 -3.78*** Regression of Number of Role-Identities and Role Holdings On The Grades of High School Seniors 12 th Grade # of Ids 12 th Grade # of Ids 2 10 th Grade # of Ids Id Change From 10 th to 12 th Friend (in 12 th grade) Sibling (in 12 th grade) Group Member (in 12 th grade) Team Athlete (in 12 th grade) Church Member (in 12 th grade) Spouse (in 12 th grade) Parent (in 12 th grade) Employee (in 12 th grade) 10 th Grade Grades Pro-School Peer Attitudes Intercept 0.40*** -0.04*** 10 th Id 0.09 -0.04 -0.15** -0.15* 0.09*** 0.22*** 0.18*** 0.58*** 0.08 -2.92*** *p<.05 **p<.01 ***p<.001

12. Regression of Number of Role-Identities and Other Variables On The Grades of High School Seniors 12 th Grade # of Ids 12 th Grade # of Ids 2 10 th Grade # of Ids Id Change From 10 th to 12 th Female African-American Native American Hispanic, Latino Asian-American Family SES 10 th Grade Scores 10 th Grade Grades Pro-School Peer Attitudes Intercept *p<.05 **p<.01 ***p<.001 “Maximum” Role-Identities All Students Who Are Parents/Spouses Have Been Removed From Data (n=3648) 0.19*** -0.03 0.28*** -0.30*** -0.23** -0.07* 0.33*** 0.10*** 0.03*** 0.55*** 0.04 -4.65***

13. Other Parts Of The Current Project Analysis of the interaction of role summation with specific 2 or 4 role role-combinations... similar findings. The causality question... previous (i.e., 10 th grade) levels of ability have either no impact (scores) or a negative impact (grades) on the number of roles seniors have.

14. So, What Do Reviewers Say? “NELS has the potential to provide salience info for each of these identities (i.e., how much time the student spends in these organizations and whether they participated as a member or officer).” “Expand the predicted outcomes to include more outcomes interesting to education scholars (e.g., dropout) or the mechanisms the author points to (e.g., self-esteem)” “I’m not convinced that the number of role-identities influences school performance versus the other way around. What about selectivity effects?” “The empirical literature has long since discredited the uniform effect of social roles. Therefore, this idea of a “count” variable being meaningful is difficult to swallow. “While I’m persuaded by the role accumulation/summation argument, maybe the author is really studying social bonds and commitment?”