Zahide Karakitapoğlu-Aygün

Self, Identity, and Emotional Well-Being Among Turkish University Students

The aim of the present study was to identify indigenous or emic domains of self-descriptions and to investigate identity orientations among urban middle-upper socio-economic status Turkish university students. The relationships between emotional well-being, self-descriptions, and identity orientations, as well as the gender differences in these variables, were also explored. The 205 participants (mean age of 20.35) found independent and relational-interdependent aspects of the self and identity more descriptive than the collective or interdependent aspects. Significant gender differences were found between independent and collective-interdependent aspects of the self. Specifically, women reported more Personal Identity and more Social Influencability and less Traditionalism and Openness and Creativity-related self-definitions than did men. Finally, emotional well-being was positively associated with all types of identity orientations as well as with independent and relational-interdependent domains of self-descriptions. The results are discussed with reference to the studies of self-concept in the literature and the existing social change in Turkish society.The aim of the present study was to identify indigenous or emic domains of self-descriptions and to investigate identity orientations among urban middle-upper socioeconomic status Turkish university students. The relationships between emotional wellbeing, self-descriptions, and identity orientations, as well as the gender differences in these variables, were also explored. The 205 participants (mean age of 20.35) found independent and relational-interdependent aspects of the self and identity more descriptive than the collective or interdependent aspects. Significant gender differences were found between independent and collective-interdependent aspects of the self. Specifically, women reported more Personal Identity and more Social Influencability and less Traditionalism and Openness and Creativity-related self-definitions than did men. Finally, emotional well-being was positively associated with all types of identity orientations as well as with independent and relational-interdependent domains of self-descriptions. The results are discussed with reference to the studies of self-concept in the literature and the existing social change in Turkish society.

The Bright and Dark Sides of Leadership: Transformational vs. Non-Transformational Leadership in a Non-Western Context

The present study aims to explore positive and negative leadership behaviours (i.e. transformational and non-transformational leadership) in a non-Western ‘change and transformation’ context through qualitative methods. Thirty-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with knowledge workers in Turkey. In addition to the original dimensions found in the literature, four categories of transformational leadership emerged: benevolent paternalism, implementation of the vision, employee participation and teamwork, and proactive behaviour. Among these categories, benevolent paternalism was identified to be the most frequently mentioned aspect of transformational leadership in the Turkish context, which implies that cultural context may influence the form and enactment of transformational leadership. Regarding non-transformational leadership, five categories emerged: destructive, closed, passive/ineffective, active-failed and a miscellaneous category. Among these, destructive leadership that includes authoritarian elements was identified as the most frequently mentioned form of non-transformational leadership. These findings imply that non-transformational leadership comes in many forms, supporting the numerous constructs on the destructive/unethical–ineffective/incompetent continuum found in the negative leadership literature. The findings are discussed with reference to the literature and to social change in Turkey.

Importance and Descriptiveness of Self-Aspects: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

This study investigated self-concept similarities and differences among Turkish and American (Mexican American and White) university students. The descriptiveness of self-attributes was measured in three domains (independent self, relational self, and other-focused or traditional self). In addition, the importance of personal, social, and collective selves was identified for each culture group. In terms of importance of self, the cultural groups showed more similarities than differences, emphasizing personal identity the most, followed by social and collective identity orientations. The results also suggested similarities across the cultural groups in descriptiveness of self-aspects, whereby relational attributes were rated as more self-descriptive than independent and other-focused or traditional aspects. Despite these similarities, our results suggested that importance and descriptiveness ratings do not show the same pattern. The results are discussed in terms of self-schemas and the association between aspects of the self that are important and descriptive of the self.

A Multilevel Examination of Benevolent Leadership and Innovative Behavior in R&D Contexts: A Social Identity Approach

Studies of innovation have emphasized the importance of leadership for individual or team innovative behaviors, but have largely ignored cross-team innovative behaviors. Enhancing innovative behaviors across teams is particularly vital for organizations relying on large-scale, complex, and multiteam projects to compete in a dynamic environment. We extend the innovation literature by introducing benevolent leadership as an antecedent to innovative behavior within and across teams. We examine identification to the team and department as mediators based on social identity theory in a sample of 397 R&D employees (consisting of 68 teams). First, individuals reported that benevolent R&D leaders facilitate innovative behavior within their teams when employees are highly identified with these teams. Second, on average, teams reported that benevolent R&D leaders enhance their teams’ innovative behavior across the boundaries when these teams are highly identified with the R&D department. Finally, in contrast to social identity theory’s expectations, individuals reported that benevolent R&D leaders facilitate their innovative behaviors with other teams when employees are highly identified with their teams. The theoretical and practical implications of our findings along with suggestions for future research are discussed.