Abstract
M.Com. (Industrial Psychology)
This study aims to contribute and add to research on identity and more specifically
identity at work by exploring the relationships between dimensions of identity (personal,
work, ethnic, and religious), authenticity (state and trait), and psychological well-being (work
engagement, burnout, and life satisfaction). These aspects were considered across both
cultural groups, South Africa and the Netherlands, and their multicultural context, making it a
valuable study to contribute to identity research that is current mainly focused on Western
contexts. Descriptive statistics examined the demographic variables in the data and analysis
of variance was used in order to study the relationships between variables. A multivariate
analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted in order to establish the differences between
the various cultural groups and different context on all variables. Structural equation
modeling (SEM) allowed the researcher to test the conceptual model in line with the research
questions and assess the relationships between identity, authenticity, and psychological wellbeing
across groups and context. A total sample of 440 employees from the Black and White
South African group and the Ethnic Dutch group from the Netherlands completed measures
of identity, authenticity, and psychological well-being. From the results obtained in the SEM
the general work identity had a significant relationship with state authenticity and the
psychological well-being factor. When considering whether state authenticity informs the
psychological well-being factor, a small, significant relationship was achieved across groups.
As such, state authenticity seemed to have mediated the relationship between general work
identity and psychological well-being.