Jackson Hitchcock

Professor R. Agosta
UWRT-1102-022
12 April, 2016
The Effects of College on a Students Identity
Throughout their entire lives, people will face a series of trials and tribulations that will
test their ability to adapt to new environments. There are many instances in which people may
think something had a profound effect on their lives, such as marriage, graduating high school, or
buying their first house. But never will something alter an individuals personal identity more
than their college experience. It is within these years in which they learn how to adjust their
study habits without parental guidance, take part in social groups and clubs, date new kinds of
people, rush a fraternity, and participate in other social events. In this essay, I will explain how
and why all of the examples listed above can have a profound effect on an individuals identity,
mainly focusing upon incoming and current college students.
Information:
In Social Identity Theory and The Organization, Blake Ashforth and Fred Mael analyze
the effects that social and group identification has on an individuals identity. They argue that the
changes in identity are related to the four principles of group identification. The first, is that
identification is viewed as a construct that isnt associated with any specific behaviors or
affective states. In order to identify, one of the members of the group needs to perceive him/her
as part of the group. The individual thereby relates to the group, and makes themselves feel more
emotionally attached to one another. The second principle is based upon how social identification
is seen as personally experiencing successes and failures of the group. Situations such as this

most often occur when one member suffers from a great loss or suffering. In turn, this
subsequently shifts the individuals identity and personality to become more like-minded with
other members of group. The third talks about how social identification is distinguished from
internalization. Identification is when an individual refers to themselves in terms of social
categories, such as describing themselves using I am Internalization involves the
incorporation of values, like placing a large amount of importance on family, and attitudes
toward their lives. The fourth principle expands upon the fact that identification with a group is
similar to identification with a person.1
In a research study written by Hilary Gerdes and Brent Mallinckrodt, it was found that the
academic success and retention rates of an individual can be altered depending on your social
habits and behaviors. Gerdes found that there are very high attrition rates among those entering
college, with the number being as high as 20% during their freshman year.2 Mallinckrodt states
that the more an individual spends time in the library, the more their GPA and retention rates
increase. He described the brain as a muscle; the more you exercise it, the stronger it will be. He
also found that academic success has a strong correlation to mental health and prevention of
depression.
Sourcing the two interviews I conducted with my brother and father, both seem to have
had the same experience in Greek life. As an individual enters a college atmosphere, they go
through some rather noticeable changes in their identity. According to both of my family
members, this change can be stabilized by rushing a fraternity.3 In the first few weeks of college,
1 Ashforth, Blake E., and Fred Mael, Social Identity Theory and The Organization. Academy of
Management Review, 06 Nov. 1989. Web. 28 Mar. 2015.
2 Gerdes, Hilary, and Brent Mallinckrodt. Emotional, Social, and Academic Adjustment
of College Students: A Longitudinal Study of Retention.Researchgate. Journal of
Counseling and Development, 03 Aug. 1994. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.
3 Hitchcock, John-Stephen J. "The Effects of Fraternities on an Individual's College
Experience." Telephone interview. 01 Apr. 2016.

people usually struggle to find new friends. For some, rushing a fraternity solves this problem, as
it gives them a supportive group of individuals who help each other with their academics.4 It is
also a very good place to make connections, which will give you an advantage in whatever
career you decide to pursue.
In the article, Friendship and Romantic Relationship Qualities in Emerging Adulthood,
the authors researched the question as to how emerging adults identity development and
achievement of adulthood criteria were correlated to the depth of their friendships and romantic
relationships with other people. After analyzing the answers to their study, they came to the
conclusion that changes in an individuals identity in college seems to depend partly upon the
persons gender. For example, women tend to provide support to their friendships, and college
men tend to have the perception that there are more costs, such as a loss of time, to their
friendships than college women do. Moreover, Men tend to rely more on shared activities,
whereas women rely more on emotional support, can have a large effect on the development on
the individuals identity.5

Analysis:

4 Hitchcock, Steve. "The Effects of Fraternities on an Individual's College Experience." Email interview. 01 Apr. 2016.

5 Barry, Carolyn McNamara, Stephanie D. Madsen, Larry J. Nelson, Jason S. Carroll, and
Sarah Badger. Friendship and Romantic Relationship Qualities in Emerging Adulthood:
Differential Associations with Identity Development and Achieved Adulthood
Criteria. Researchgate. Springer Science+Business Media, 17 Apr. 2009. Web. 03 Apr.
2016.

While reading the article written by Ashforth and Mael, I came to realize how much their
research truly explained. They focused upon the psychological reasoning behind the actions of
certain individuals, including why they wish to join a group in the first place, how their
personality and identity change whilst partaking in the group, and how it can help their mental
health in the present and future.6 He fully understands the psychological impact that social
groups have on the human mind, and even goes as far as recommending certain actions to
participate in, such as affiliating yourself with a positive, outgoing group which will improve
your mental health more so than a group of partygoers.
In their research, Gerdes and Mallinkridt analyze all the different factors that contribute to ones
mental retention rate. Through doing so, they were able to understand how the individuals
identity is affected. In the case of academic underperformance, the student is more likely to
suffer from a negative outlook on life, and is more prone to depression. Academic success has a
profound effect on the individuals mental health as opposed to what many believe. College
students of the current generation have always been told that the grades they make in college
effect their chances of attaining a job afterwards. With this mental burden suddenly falling on the
shoulders of a student who is struggling in a class, they are increasingly more susceptible to
illness, depression, and other results of extreme stress.7
Through interviewing my brother and father, I seem to have noticed that both of them had
suffered from a brief period in which their grades decreased because of their activity in the
fraternity. Although this doesnt apply to everybody, it can vary a great deal depending on
moderation and study habits. This can be seen in one of Mallinckrodts conclusions in which he
6 Ashforth, Blake E., and Fred Mael, Social Identity Theory and The Organization. Academy of
Management Review, 06 Nov. 1989. Web. 28 Mar. 2015.
7 Gerdes, Hilary, and Brent Mallinckrodt. Emotional, Social, and Academic Adjustment
of College Students: A Longitudinal Study of Retention.Researchgate. Journal of
Counseling and Development, 03 Aug. 1994. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.

stated that alcohol has an effect on a students retention rate depending on how much they drink.8
My brother came to a surprising conclusion that seems contradictory to common stereotypes. For
example, he stated that on average, people who were members of fraternities or sororities
received a higher GPA as opposed to those not involved with Greek life. At first, it seems
strange, because attribute fraternities with partying and not studying. But, my brother believes
that because fraternities and sororities across the nation enforce mandatory library hours for their
members, the GPA of those involved is increased.
In reference to the authors findings of the effects that a romantic relationship had on a
college students identity, they found that the identity of these individuals are greatly affected,
depending on the health of the relationship. They concluded that the more the couple is able to
converse and work through problems together, then it actually has a positive correlation to
their identity development and success rate in their career.9 They also found a slightly negative
correlation between the amount of time spent with the partner, and their overall GPA. Overall, a
constructive and positive relationship with another student correlates to an acceleration of the
students maturation process.

Conclusions:

8 Gerdes, Hilary, and Brent Mallinckrodt. Emotional, Social, and Academic Adjustment
of College Students: A Longitudinal Study of Retention.Researchgate. Journal of
Counseling and Development, 03 Aug. 1994. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.
9 Barry, Carolyn McNamara, Stephanie D. Madsen, Larry J. Nelson, Jason S. Carroll, and
Sarah Badger. Friendship and Romantic Relationship Qualities in Emerging Adulthood:
Differential Associations with Identity Development and Achieved Adulthood
Criteria. Researchgate. Springer Science+Business Media, 17 Apr. 2009. Web. 03 Apr.
2016.

Through this essay, I have found that most of the students direct changes in their identity is
found within the participation of social groups, such as clubs, groups of friends, and fraternities.
Indirect effects on their identities include the students academic success, fraternities, and
romantic relationships. These last two sources of change vary slightly from person to person,
meaning that as someone is struggling to juggle fraternity activities and maintaining their GPA,
someone else may find participating in a fraternity and keeping a good GPA is very easy. The
effect of the relationship on a students identity depends upon the time spent with either partner,
but it mostly is involved with the positive support and reassurance that they give one another.
Discussion Questions:
-

If you have taken part in any of these activities, how do you think they have affected your

identity?
Do you have a friend or family member who has taken part in these activites? If so, how
do you think it affected their identity?