How Social Identity Relates to Stress Appraisal at Work: Integrating the Social Identity Approach With the Transactional Model of Stress

ABSTRACT Drawing on the Social Identity Approach and the Transactional Model of Stress, this study examines how individually perceived group identification (IPGI) relates to the primary and secondary appraisal of stressful situations. We hypothesized that stronger IPGI would be associated with framing stressors from a more collective rather than an individual perspective during both appraisal phases. The study combined a survey assessing employees' IPGI with an online interview conducted 3 weeks later, in which participants described a recent stressful work event. Data were collected from employees across diverse industries and occupational contexts in Germany ( N = 114). Interview transcripts were coded for collective and individual pronoun use during primary and secondary appraisal. Stronger IPGI was associated with more collective pronoun use in both phases of appraisal but was not related to less individual pronoun use, suggesting that identification with the group adds to, rather than replaces, individual appraisal. These findings offer initial evidence that identification with the group is linked to a more collective linguistic framing of stressful work experiences and provide a basis for further research on the role of IPGI in the appraisal of stress within team‐based contexts.