Methodological Choice and Its Consequences for Possible Selves Research

Abstract

The literature on possible selves has grown significantly since the development of the construct in the mid-1980s. Situating our discussion of possible selves in the long-standing and extensive literature on self and identity, our goal in this article is to examine methodological choice and its consequences within possible selves research for both the researcher and the participant. Toward this goal, we reviewed 141 empirical articles and highlight here 4 methodological clusters within them, including the original predominant cluster, involving structured survey and interview, and 3 more recent less frequently employed clusters: narrative, visual, and drama. In this article, we discuss various limitations and advantages of each cluster, focusing on researcher investment (e.g., time, resources), researcher role (e.g., information gathering, intervention), the nature of participant input, and what is learned by each approach. In our conclusion, we outline areas of future development and concern for the study of possible selves and the development of self-knowledge and identity more generally. We argue that for possible selves research to prosper conceptually, it is vital that researchers attend carefully to their methodological choices and the implications of those choices for what can be learned.