Each year, ISSI honors researchers who have made important empirical and theoretical contributions to the understanding of self and identity. The Distinguished Lifetime Career Award is presented to researchers who have made major, enduring contributions to understanding self and identity over the course of their academic careers. The Outstanding Early Career Award is given to researchers who have made impressive contributions to the field within their first 10 years of obtaining a Ph.D.

2024 Joanne Wood, University of Waterloo

2023 Dianne Tice, Brigham Young University 

2022 Robert J. Vallerand, Université du Quebec at Montreal

2021 Daphna Oyserman, University of Southern California

2020 Michael Hogg, Claremont Graduate University 

2019 Brenda Major, UC Santa Barbara  

2018 Mark Alicke, Ohio University

2017 Constantine Sedikides, University of Southampton

2016 David Dunning, University of Michigan

2015 William B. Swann, University of Texas

2014 June Tangney, George Mason University

2013 Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan, University of Rochester

2024 Jackson G. Lu, MIT

2023 Eddie Brummelman, University of Amsterdam

2022 Marina Milyavskaya, Carleton University

2021 Sarah Gaither, Duke University

2020 Mesmin Destin, Northwestern University 

2019 Jochen E. Gebauer, University of Mannheim 

2018 Kimberly Rios, Ohio University

2017 Sapna Cheryan, University of Washington and Mary Murphy, Indiana University 

2016 Emily Balcetis, New York University

2015 Wilhelm Hofmann, University of Cologne

2014 Brandon Schmeichel, Texas A&M

2013 Mark J. Landau, University of Kansas

ISSI has established an award for the best paper published in its journal Self and Identity.

2020 Winner:

Holt, L. F., & Sweitzer, M. D. (2020). More than a black and white issue: Ethnic identity, social dominance orientation, and support for the black lives matter movement. Self and Identity, 19, 16-31.

2019 Winner:

Young, E. S., Simpson, J. A., Griskevicius, V., Huelsnitz, C. O., & Fleck, C. (2019). Childhood attachment and adult personality: A life history perspective. Self and Identity, 18, 22-38.

2018 Winner:

Landau, M. J., Arndt, J., Swanson, T. J., & Bultmann, M. N. (2018). Why life speeds up: Chunking and the passage of autobiographical time. Self and Identity, 3, 294-309.

2017 Winner: 

Hamilton, H. R., & DeHart, T. (2017). Drinking to belong: The effect of a friendship threat and self-esteem on college student drinking. Self and Identity, 16, 1-15.

2016 Winner:

Villicana, A. J., Delucio, K., & Biernat, M. (2016). "Coming out" among gay Latino and gay White men: Implications of verbal disclosure for well-being. Self & Identity, 15, 468-487.

2015 Winner:

Howe, T. R., Aberson, C. L., Friedman, H. S., Murphy, S. E., Alcazar, E., Vazquez, E. J., & Becker, R. (2015). Three decades later: The life experiences of mid-life functioning of 1980s heavy metal groupies, musicians, and fans. Self & Idenity, 14, 602-626.

2013 Winner:

Silvia, P. J., & Phillips, Ann G. (2013). Self-awareness without awareness? Implicit self-focused attention and behavioral self-regulation. Self & Identity, 12, 114-127.

2011 Winner:

Balcetis, E., & Dunning, D. (2013). Considering the situation: Why people are better social psychologists than self-psychologists. Self & Identity, 12, 1-15.