Networking, Identity, and Metacognitive Experiences of Ease and Difficulty

Although scholars have theorized about the relationship between metacognitive experiences of ease and identity-congruence, little empirical evidence directly tests the relationship between the two. In this work we examine the relationship between the two constructs, as well as how they interact to impact motivation in the context of professional networking. In Study 1 we examine the association between perceived ease and identity, and find that they are positively correlated. In Studies 2a and 2b we test this relationship experimentally. In Study 2a we find that manipulating perceived ease leads to heightened levels of identity-congruence. In Study 2b we find that manipulating identity-congruence leads to heightened perceptions of ease. Finally, in Studies 3 and 4 we examine how these constructs interact to predict individuals’ motivations to network, and find that identity is a stronger predictor of networking intentions than is ease.