Test Reactivity: Does the Measurement of Identity Serve as an Impetus for Identity Exploration?

The purpose of the current study was to determine if test reactivity is a concern in empirical studies of identity. That is, the goal was to establish if the process of measuring identity provokes identity exploration. Should measuring an individual’s identity lead him or her to begin considering identity-relevant issues, the experimenter has unintentionally altered the degree to which one is engaged in identity exploration. This potential threat to the validity of a study has implications for longitudinal studies of identity, particularly those that attempt to establish what the precursors are to changes in identity. The results revealed no differences in identity scores between the various experimental groups. The results are discussed in terms of future studies of identity.