Intra-individual Variability in Narrative Identity: Complexities, Garden Paths, and Untapped Research Potential

This paper introduces key concepts for studying intraindividual variability in narratives (Narrative IIV). Narrative IIV is conceptualized in terms of sources of within person variation (events and audiences), and dimensions of variation (structural and motivational/affective dimensions of narratives). Possible implications of narrative IIV for well-being and self and social development are outlined. Considering narrative IIV leads to complexity in both theory and method, raising the issue of whether some avenues might be more productive than others. Using previously collected data, we sought to evaluate the research potential of different indices of narrative IIV (n = 106 participants; n = 1272 narratives). All analyses were preregistered: doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/SXV4W. Findings show that narrative IIV is distinct depending on source and dimension, replicating previous work. However, narrative IIV was largely unrelated to the measures of well-being and self and social development used in the present study. These findings support the practice of aggregating across narratives in existing research, as least for these outcomes and sources of variation, and provide important guidance for investigators who remain interested in the possible insights that narrative IIV may reveal about the person.