The powerful connection between self-concept and motivation
Core Idea: Identity as Ownership describes how people become strongly attached to their self-concept, values, and beliefs as a form of psychological ownership, creating powerful motivations to maintain consistency with these internal possessions.
Key Elements
- Self-image and identity function as psychological possessions
- People defend identity-aligned values as strongly as physical property
- Identity consistency becomes increasingly important over time
- Behavior that conflicts with identity creates strong discomfort
Psychological Mechanisms
- Self-Ownership: Treating values and beliefs as personal property
- Identity Investment: Accumulating identity-defining choices over time
- Consistency Bias: Preference for actions that align with established identity
- Cognitive Dissonance: Discomfort when actions contradict self-concept
Strategic Applications
- Identity Labeling: Assigning positive identity traits that encourage consistent behavior
- Value Articulation: Prompting people to express their values, strengthening commitment
- Identity Reinforcement: Recognizing and affirming identity-consistent actions
- Self-Consistency Appeals: Framing requests in terms of identity alignment
Example: Math Performance and Identity
A person with no interest in mathematics suddenly became "a genius" at it when running a business, as the numbers represented their own money and became connected to their identity as a business owner.
Additional Connections
- Broader Context: Core Drive 4 - Ownership and Possession (identity as abstract ownership)
- Applications: Behavior Change Design (using identity to drive sustainable change)
- See Also: Commitment and Consistency (related psychological principle)
References
- Yu-Kai Chou, "Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards"
- Dan Ariely, "Predictably Irrational" (concept of self-herding)
#gamification #psychology #identity #motivation
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