Associational Embracement
An individual engages in associational embracement when they make a verbal acceptance of their set relationships with others in order to confirm and assume their social identity. This is a crucial role in individual identity (trans)formation because it is the verbal recognition and acceptance into the group of which they aspire to be members. Self-avowal allows for personal embodiment and a solidified sense of "where they fit into the social structure." A key example would a young student deciding where to go to college, because it is a decision that is often influenced by a person's individual relationships. One must weigh many factors when they socially transform, including whom with they want to embrace.
- Proactive embracement: actively seeking out interactions that represent their desired social identities.
- Retroactive embracement: characterized by intentionality, it is when individuals consciously direct their actions toward a desired end by immersing in interactive environments that will bring them closer to their "possible selves." This embracement is typical of individuals who are moving, for example, from the working class to the middle class, because they often don't enjoy the same benefits of their desired social group.
Read more about this topic: Social Transformation