Practice Category: Identity Safety

Situational cues can signal that a social identity one holds is either valued or devalued in a particular context. When the situation cues signal that one’s social identities are valued, they feel identity safety. If, however, the situation cues signal that one’s social identities are devalued, they experience identity threat, and one’s identity becomes strongly felt and psychologically central. Learning in environments that support identity safety is associated with higher rates of social belonging and better academic performance among college students. In this section you will find practice recommendations that can help promote identity safety, particularly among students from social groups that are underrepresented or marginalized in higher education.