Targeting Young Adult Smokers' Multiple Identity Gaps and Identity Management Strategies for Behavior Change: An Application of the Communication Theory of Identity Item Type text; Electronic Thesis Authors Stanley, Samantha Joan Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 01/10/2021 15:26:17 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/612611 IDENTITY GAPS OF YOUNG ADULT SMOKERS 1 TARGETING YOUNG ADULT SMOKERS' MULTIPLE IDENTITY GAPS AND IDENTITY MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR BEHAVIOR CHANGE: AN APPLICATION OF THE COMMUNICATION THEORY OF IDENTITY by Samantha J. Stanley ____________________________ Copyright © Samantha J. Stanley 2016 A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2016 IDENTITY GAPS OF YOUNG ADULT SMOKERS 2 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR The thesis titled Targeting Young Adult Smokers' Multiple Identity Gaps and Identity Management Strategies for Behavior Change: An Application of the Communication Theory of Identity prepared by Samantha J. Stanley has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for a master’s degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that an accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED: Samantha J Stanley APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: May 9th, 2016 Margaret J. Pitts, Ph.D. Date Professor of Communication IDENTITY GAPS OF YOUNG ADULT SMOKERS 3 Table of Contents ABSTRACT..............................................................................................................................................................7 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................... 8 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ............................................................................................................................................... 9 REVIEW OF LITERATURE ................................................................................................................................ 11 CIGARETTE USE BY YOUNG ADULTS ................................................................................................................................... 11 COMMUNICATION THEORY OF IDENTITY ............................................................................................................................ 13 Identity Gaps ......................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Outcomes of Identity Gaps .............................................................................................................................................. 23 Discrimination Leading to Identity Gaps ................................................................................................................. 26 RATIONALE .......................................................................................................................................................... 29 METHOD ............................................................................................................................................................... 31 FOCUS GROUP METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................ 31 INTERVIEW METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................................................. 34 RECRUITMENT ......................................................................................................................................................................... 36 PARTICIPANTS ......................................................................................................................................................................... 38 PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOL .............................................................................................................................................. 40 Focus Group Procedures .................................................................................................................................................. 40 Interview Procedures ........................................................................................................................................................ 41 Focus Group and Interview Protocol ......................................................................................................................... 42 ANALYTIC STRATEGY ............................................................................................................................................................. 43 ESTABLISHING TRUSTWORTHINESS IN QUALITATIVE ANALYSES ................................................................................. 46 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................................................ 48 PERSONAL AND ENACTED LAYERS ...................................................................................................................................... 50 Personal-enacted identity gaps .................................................................................................................................... 50 Strategies for managing gaps in the enacted layer of identity. ..................................................................... 52 Compartmentalize ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 52 Minimize smoking habit ................................................................................................................................................................................. 53 Lack of identity gaps in the personal and enacted layers ................................................................................. 54 Willing to identify .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 54 I don't think about being a smoker ............................................................................................................................................................ 55 RELATIONAL LAYER ............................................................................................................................................................... 55 Personal-relational identity gaps ................................................................................................................................ 56 Relational-enacted identity gaps ................................................................................................................................. 56 Family ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 56 Significant others ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 58 Authority figures ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 58 Personal-enacted-relational gaps ............................................................................................................................... 59 Strategies for managing gaps in the relational layer of identity .................................................................. 61 Be considerate .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 61 Hide the smell ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 63 Gauge their reaction ........................................................................................................................................................................................