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Resumo

Control theory was used to investigate identity microprocesses (i.e., self‐verification)within the context of serious dating relationships. Forty‐two college women importance for, and certainty about, their future career identities served as targets in the study. The targets and their dating partners participated in a procedure in which the targets received career information that was contrary to their beliefs about their future identities. Results revealed that women who were highly certain about their future career identity, regardless of its importance level, engaged in more self‐verification efforts than did women who were uncertain. A comparison of congruent (partner herself) and incongruent dating partners revealed that congruent partners were the most overt in their disagreement with the contrary information. Certainty and partner congruence predicted the target's self‐rating change following the identity disruption. Partner congruence accounted for a substantial amount of variance in self‐rating change, indicating that close relationships provide an influential context for identity development.

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