The role of personal and social identity on the well - being of girls and boys University Students

Social identity theory argues there are two distinct aspects of the self-concept namely, Social and Personal Identity. It posits that individuals strive to maintain or enhance not only a positive personal identity but also a positive collective identity. Although theorists suggest that social identities should have positive effects on the lives of group members, only a few studies have assessed the relation between collective identity and well-being. The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationship collective and personal self-esteem with subjective well-being (SWB) in two groups of the girls and boys college students. Methods and Materials: Participants were 85 female and 62 male undergraduate students at the Loorestan University. Each participant was tested by the Collective self-esteem scale (CSE), the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, the satisfaction with life scale (SWLS) and the positive and negative affect scale (PANAS). The results show that in the girls versus boys the reliable relation between collective self-esteem and SWB is more than the personal self-esteem and SWB. Thus our data suggest that in the boy students, both individuals’ evaluations of themselves (Personal self-esteem) and their evaluations of their in groups (Collective Self-esteem) play mutual roles in well – being. But girls’ well – being makes sense in connection with others and their own positive senses include a minor life satisfaction.