Master Narrative Deviations: Narratives of Experience and Telling, and their Impact on Identity
Date
2013
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Haverford College. Department of Psychology
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Thesis
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Award
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eng
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Haverford users only
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Abstract
The present research aimed to explore the ways in which people narrate and understand instances of deviating from master narratives--cultural scripts, social norms, or majority identity categories. A sample of 78 undergraduate students completed a survey, which included a narrative of a master narrative deviation, a narrative of an experience telling that deviation, a number of questions related to those narratives and several other measures including ego development and well-being. Narratives were coded for a variety of characteristics. As hypothesized, feeling silenced and the positivity of a telling experience were associated with several qualities of the narratives. Ego development moderated the relationships between feeling silenced and both presence of master narrative and positive meaning making. The relationships between positivity of the telling experience and both development of counter narrative and presence of vulnerability were also moderated by ego development. Future research can continue to investigate the ways in which silencing and telling experiences effect the construction of narratives and meaning made from experiences. The importance of master narrative deviation experiences to narrative identity can also be expanded upon in future research.