Longitudinal Associations of Identity Processing Styles With Prodiversity and Proequality Values in Adolescence

In adolescence, the formation of personal identity and values may be intertwined, since values are among the main issues considered when building one's identity. This study examined how sociocognitive strategies used in the process of identity formation were related with adoption of prodiversity and proequality values, which are critically important for socially diverse contemporary societies. Participants were 916 adolescents (51.4% females, Mage = 15.65, SDage = 0.73 at baseline) involved in a three-wave longitudinal study with annual assessments. The results of cross-lagged analyses suggest that more rational and deliberate processing of self-relevant information is related to stronger adoption of prodiversity and proequality values over time. In turn, endorsement of prodiversity and proequality values is related to more rational and deliberate processing of self-relevant issues.