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The 2018 Distinguished Lifetime Career Award winner is Mark Alicke (Ohio University). This award is made annually to recognize a scientist who has made sustained and important contributions to our understanding of self and identity throughout her or his academic career.

Dr. Alicke will be presented with a plaque, along with giving a distinguished talk at the 2019 SPSP Self and Identity Pre-Conference (February 7^th in Portland). 

Many thanks to this year's selection committee: Mark Leary (Chair), June Tangney, and Constantine Sedikides. Congratulations Dr. Alicke!

The 2018 Outstanding Early Career Award winner is Kimberly Rios (Ohio University). This award is made annually to recognize and encourage a distinguished junior scientist who has made outstanding theoretical and empirical contributions to the scientific study of self and identity.

Dr. Rios will be presented a plaque, along with giving a distinguished address at the 2019 SPSP Self and Identity Pre-Conference (February 7^th in Portland). 

Many thanks to this year's selection committee: Lora Park (Chair), Brandon Schmeichel, and Mary Murphy). Congratulations Dr. Rios!

Guest Editors: Sarah E. Gaither (Duke University), Jacqueline Chen (University of Utah), and Nicholas Rule (University of Toronto)

Brief Description of Aims and Topics

Much of what is known about the powerful role that identity can play in how people behave and interact stems from research on traditional or mainstream identities (e.g., monoracial, cisgender, heterosexual) with comparatively little knowledge contributed from the range of unconventional identities present in society (e.g., multiracial, transgender, bisexual).

This goal of this special issue is to highlight the experiences and perceptions of people with nontraditional identities. We invite submissions of manuscripts describing empirical research of nontraditional identities, defined as those that are not commonly a focus in published identity research to date. They can be visible or invisible, chosen or not chosen, transitional, temporary, or permanent, and may be experienced, perceived, or inferred characteristics of individuals. Submissions may also focus on individuals who claim a particular nontraditional identity, or perceptions of real or hypothetical individuals who claim that identity. Researchers who utilize a variety of methodological approaches and measures, including (but not limited to) behavioral, psychophysiological, neuroscientific, and dyadic approaches are encouraged to submit their work for consideration. Multi-study papers are preferred but single-study papers, if methodologically rigorous, will also be considered.

Full-length papers should be submitted through the Self & Identity submission portal by selecting the special issue by December 1, 2018. All submitting authors may be contacted to serve as reviewers for this special issue. Questions about this special issue can be sent to Sarah Gaither sarah.gaither@duke.edu.

Guest Editors: Eric D. Wesselmann (Illinois State University), Maayan Dvir (Purdue University), Janice R. Kelly (Purdue University), & John B. Pryor (Illinois State University)  

Brief Description of Aims and Topics

Sexual objectification – a category of behaviors that make someone feel as if they are merely a body that exists for the use and pleasure of others – ranges from sexual assault to explicit and subtle forms of sexual harassment (Bartky, 1990; Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997). Previous research has shown that most women have experienced a type of sexual objectification at least once in their lives, and that both men and women are exposed to sexually objectifying portrayals of women in the media daily (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997).

The prevalence of sexual objectification was also demonstrated in October 2017 on social media when within two weeks over 1.7 million people responded to Alyssa Milano’s call to post “#metoo” if they had experienced sexual harassment or sexual assault. The #metoo campaign initiated a public discussion regarding issues that surround sexual objectification. We believe that these are timely issues, and that research that concerns sexual harassment and assault should be highlighted in order to inform the public discussion at this sensitive time.

In this special issue, we encourage research that explores the many different forms of sexual harassment, sexual objectification, and sexual assault. We are open to work that explores these forms of sexual objectification from either the target or the source perspective. We are specifically interested in work that explores the role of the Self in this context, for example: How does sexual objectification affects the target’s self-concept? Can high self-esteem buffer the effects of sexual objectification? How does sexual objectification affect the source’s self-concept, and what are the self-relevant motivations behind their behaviors? Do self-presentation concerns affect one’s tendency to sexually harass?

We will consider both single- and multi-study papers. We focus on experimental papers, but will be open to well-designed correlational papers and theoretical papers that have significant theoretical contribution to the field.

Interested authors should submit a brief proposal (1000-word limit) to Eric Wesselmann (edwesse@ilstu.edu) by 11/30/2018. This proposal should specify the purpose of the studies/experiments, sample, methods, and preliminary results. Data collection must be completed at time of submission.

Full submissions will be invited by 1/12/2019 and will be due by 4/30/2019. Please direct any inquiries (e.g., about suitability, timeline, etc.) to Eric Wesselmann (edwesse@ilstu.edu).

Shira Gabriel, Associate Professor of Psychology at the State University of New York (SUNY), University of Buffalo, is the editor for Self and Identity. Please read the editorial written by Dr. Gabriel by clicking the link below.

The Self and Identity Preconference at SPSP was held on Thursday, March 1, 2018 in Atlanta, GA. Click here for more information.