Iterative Micro-Identity Content Analysis: Studying Identity Development within and across Real-Time Interactions

Figures & data

Table

-	shorter than expected silence/no silence between words
,	micropause
(.),(.),(…)	pauses of less than .5s, 1s, 1.5s
(2.)	measured pause in seconds
wo(h)rd	laugh particles within words
?	pitch rising to high at end of phrase
wo:rd	segmental lengthening, according to duration
[word]	uncertain transcription
[0:00:00]	time-stamp noting the onset of an utterance
word <	interrupted talk, immediate floor change
word< word	interrupted talk, no floor change
word<word>	interrupted talk, floor change with overlapping talk
<word	interrupting talk, floor change
<word>	interrupting talk, no floor change
[…]	excerpt was shortened

Table 1. First exchange between Jenny and Caro

Jenny: yeah (3.) What was your longest relationshi(h)p (chuckles)?

Caro: I don’t do relationsh(h)ips (laughs)

Jenny: (laughs) O(h)kay(h) (shrugs) Tha(h)t’s interesting – why not?

Caro: I’m not really interested in relationships and romance and all that. It’s not my <big thing>

Jenny: <I don’t like romance, but I like relationships (.) I only had one (chuckles)

Caro: That’s enough

Jenny: Yeah

Caro: I mean. I don’t – I don’t really need a boyfriend (2.) I–I feel like I don’t

Jenny: Yeah, if you are happy with that – that’s pretty<

Caro: <[I am]>

Jenny: >cool. Cuz I would like be totally lost (chuckles)

Caro: Really?

Jenny: Yeah (nodds)

Caro: But does he live here?

Table 2. Second exchange between Jenny and Caro

Jenny: But do you often like have guys over, or?

Caro: No:, I don’t?

Jenny: < No? >

Caro: < I had like (.) in the time I was living here I had two guys <

Jenny: < okay >

Caro: > over.

Jenny: And in total?

Caro: In total?

Jenny: Yeah, like how many?

Caro: (.) U::hm (.) Three? in total?<

Jenny: <hm>

Caro: >But I had longer thi::ngs::

Jenny: Hm. Okay.

Caro: So friends with benefits, I don’t know

Jenny: (nodds)a h Okay.

Caro: (nodds) Yeah (3.) Yeah (.) one was a (.) kind of an one-night-stand. bu::t we are still in contact and we met and and stuff. (1.)

Jenny: (.) Is he nice?

Caro: (nodds, smiles) Yeah. And he is very good looki(h)ng (chuckles)

Jenny:(chuckles) And you don’t want a relationship?

Caro: I do, but he is not from here

Table 3. Excerpts from all of John’s 7 speed dating conversations

Round		Question	Response
1	1	Partner 1: So, how did you get here?	John: Uhm:- Hmm. What do you mean? Like- Partner 1: Just- Just in [university town]. John: […] Uhm:: (.) Alright, so I moved around a lot growing up.
1	2	Partner 1: And where originally, did you come from?	John: Uh(hh)m, I::’ve- This is the tenth country I’ve lived in now. This stage of my life. […] Partner 1: Da:::mn John: Yeah. I moved around a lot Partner 1: Oh, wow! We’re so different. < John: <(chuckles)> Partner 1: > I just- I was just born here, and I just stayed here. John: Yeah, I couldn’t- I:: couldn’t imagine that. It seems (.) Like, was it nice? Do you enjoy living here? […]
1	3	Partner 1: So, where were you born?	John: Uh, I was born in South Africa. And <
1	4	Partner 1: Ok, quickly! List all the countries! I’m very curious.	John: (chuckles) Uh, so South Africa, then we moved to Ireland for a little bit. Then we moved to Honduras, then to Wales, then Scotland. Then Uganda, then Malawi. Then back to Ireland. Then London, then Switzerland (hh) now here (chuckles).
2	1	Partner 2: Where [are] you from?	John: Uh (hh). I moved around a lot when I was growin’ up, so I, like, traveled everywhere. Partner 2: Okay. John: (Ind.) Uhm, so I was born in South Africa < John: < Okay. > John: > and then I was there for a little while, then I moved to Ireland. And then from Ireland we moved to Honduras (English pronunciation) < […] John: > and then, uhm, we were there for a few years and we would move to Wales. And then Scotland, then Uganda, then Malawi (chuckles) < Partner 2: < Oh my god. > John: > Yeah. And I moved back to Ireland, then I moved to London, then I moved back to Ireland again. Then I moved to Switzerland < Partner 2: < Okay, that’s a handful … (chuckles) > John: > Yeah. (chuckles) Seriously. And then I moved he(hh)re. And<
2	2	Partner 2: < O::h. Where did you spend most of your life?	John: U:h, most [of] my life was < Partner 2: < Most years, or months, or I don’t know > John: > between Malawi and Uganda. Spent 4 years each there.
2	3	Partner 2: But, do- (.) Is it true that you do not, like, have a place that you call home? Like, you have a difficult identity? You know what I mean?	John: No, really! It didn’t really affect me as much as it affected my sister < Partner 2: < Okay. > John: > and, uhm, no. Like, I just kinda- I see home as Ireland. < Partner 2: < Okay! > John: Like, slash where my granny lives, ‘cus most summers we’d spend a lot of time there and my (Ind.) and I got a good group of friends, so (.) yeah, I just kinda see Ireland as my home and I love being there <
3	1	Partner 3: How about you?	John: I’m- (chuckles) I’m from- I moved around a lot when I was growing up, so I’ve lived in, like, ten countries. Partner 3: Cool. John: Yeah.
3	2	Partner 3: Which one would you say- So, if someone asked you “What nationality are you”?	John: Uhm, hmm. It depends. If I’m outside of Ireland I’m Irish. < Partner 3: < Yeah. > John: > But if I’m outside of Ireland, I kinda- Partner 3:You’re like “I’m an expat” John: Yeah. (chuckles) Partner 3:Cool! John: Yeah. (Ind.)
3	3	Partner 3: So where have you lived?	John: Uhm, so I lived- I was born in South Africa, then I moved to Ireland for a little bit. < Partner 3:: < Cool. > John: > Then I moved to Honduras and then Wales, Scotland, Uganda, Malawi. Then Ireland again, then London, then back to I(hh)reland < Partner 3:< (chuckles) > John: > then Switzerland, now here Partner 3: Cool. John: Yeah.
4	1	Partner 4: Yeah. Where are you from?	John: Uhm, uh:, I moved around a lot when I was growing up. So I’ve- I lived in ten different countries, now at this point. Partner 4: Ok. John: Yeah.
4	2	Partner 4: And- But do you feel represent with something or.?	John: Uhm, yeah, like, do I- Yeah, in Ire- like, Ireland would be the one I most, like, identify with and < Partner 4: < Mhm. > John: > just the place I enjoy being most. (.)
5	1	Partner 5: Nice to meet you. (chuckles) (.) Where you from?	John: I moved around a lot when I was growing up. So I lived < Partner 5: <Ah:::> John: > in lot’s of different countries.
5	2	Partner 5: So you don’t have, like, a- What- Where were you born?	John: Uh, in South Africa. Partner 5: In South Africa? Ah::: John: Yeah. Partner 5: Interesting.
5	3	Partner 5: < And which parts of- I think you were born in Af[rica]- in South Africa, but then? Where did you go?	John: Uh, then I moved to Ireland for a little while. Then < Partner 5: <Yeah.> John: > I moved to Honduras. Then, from Honduras we moved to Whales, then Scotland, then Uganda, Malawi,< Partner 5: <Ah:::> John: > then back to Ireland, then England and London < Partner 5: <Oh my god.> John: > then Ireland, then Switzerland, < Partner 5: < You have been < John: < then here.> Partner 5: > all around the world. (chuckles) John: Yeah. Just every(hh)where.
6	1	Partner 6: So. (.) Where do you come from?	John: Uhm- (hh) Uh, I moved around a lot when I was growing up, so I kinda- I lived in a lot of places. Partner 6: Ah::, o
7	1	Partner 7: Where are you from?	John: Uhh, from Ireland. Partner 7: Ok. John: Yeah. Partner 7: Interesting

Legend: Ireland is highlighted bold

Table 4. Initial claims by John across the different rounds

Round	Claim
2	I moved around a lot when I was growin’ up, so I, like, traveled everywhere.
3	I’m- (chuckles) I’m from- I moved around a lot when I was growing up, so I’ve lived in, like, ten countries.
4	Uhm, uh:, I moved around a lot when I was growing up. So I’ve- I lived in ten different countries, now at this point.
5	I moved around a lot when I was growing up. So I lived in lot’s of different countries.
6	Uh, I moved around a lot when I was growing up, so I kinda- I lived in a lot of places
7	Uhh, from Ireland.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author, Jan-Ole Harald Gmelin. The data are not publicly available due to their containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.