Identity Fusion in U.S. Military Members

• DOI: 10.1177/0095327X17737021
• Published date: 01 January 2019
• Author: Roland Hart,Steven L. Lancaster
• Date: 01 January 2019
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Identity Fusion in U.S.

Military Members

Roland Hart

1

and Steven L. Lancaster

2

Abstract

Identity fusion, the visceral sense of interconnectedness between oneself and the

members of a group, has been associated with military service anecdotally and

examined among foreign military groups. However, no study to date has explored

fusion and its relationship with functioning among U.S. military members. The aims

of this study were (1) to examine the incremental predictive validity of fusion, (2) to

examine the relationship between fusion and pro- and antisocial in-group behaviors,

and (3) to determine how one’s attitude toward their military service may affect

fusion. Data were collected via self-report using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk soft-

ware. Results indicated that fusion predicted progroup beliefs and in-group helping

behaviors above and beyond other indicators of military identity. Further, satisfac-

tion with the military mediated the relationship between fusion and willingness to

give time to other veterans. Identifying an important mediator of fusion expands

upon earlier work in the field and suggests routes for future inquiry.

Keywords

identity, fusion, veterans, military, progroup

Across a range of military conflicts, the connection between military personnel is

often described as brotherly or like family (Fredman et al., 2015; Swann et al., 2014).

This level of connection is consistent with recent research in the area of identity

fusion or the melding of oneself with members of a group—creating an instinctual

1

New York University, New York, NY, USA

2

Department of Psychology, Bethel University, St. Paul, MN, USA

Corresponding Author:

Steven L. Lancaster, Department of Psychology, Bethel University, 3900 Bethel Drive, St. Paul,

MN 55112, USA.

Email: steven-lanc aster@bethel.edu

Armed Forces & Society

2019, Vol. 45(1) 45-58

ªThe Author(s) 2017

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DOI: 10.1177/0095327X17737021

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