Redefining working identity in career transitions: The role of mindfulness and self-regulation.
Kshamta Sharma
Acta Psychologica September 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107501 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Career transition Identity work Possible selves Propositional theory Self-regulation Working identity |
| Key points | Proposes a propositional framework in which mindfulness continuously moderates how self-regulation affects identity work during career transitions: as mindfulness decreases, self-regulation is argued to default to rigid conformity that inhibits identity change, and as mindfulness increases, it is argued to enable flexible navigation between established and emerging professional identities. The authors specify executive attention, reappraisal, and metacognitive decentring as the cognitive mechanisms through which this moderation operates. |
Abstract
Career transitions require individuals to fundamentally redefine their working identity-the amalgam of professional roles, relationships, and narratives that constitutes one's sense of self at work. Although Ibarra's seminal "test-and-learn" model has advanced the current understanding of how identity transitions unfold, the psychological mechanisms that enable or constrain this process remain underspecified. The purpose of this research paper is to develop a propositional theoretical framework that integrates mindfulness and self-regulation into the working identity transition process. Drawing on the possible selves model, the strength model of self-regulation, and contemporary mindfulness theory, this research paper develops a framework and seven propositions that articulate how mindfulness and self-regulation shape identity exploration, evaluation, and integration during career transitions. A key theoretical contribution is the identification of mindfulness as a continuous moderator of self-regulation's impact on identity work: as mindfulness decreases, self-regulation increasingly defaults to rigid conformity that inhibits identity change; as mindfulness increases, self-regulation enables flexible navigation between established and emerging professional identities. The current research paper specifies the cognitive mechanisms-executive attention, reappraisal, and metacognitive decentring-through which this moderation operates. The research paper concludes with boundary conditions, a future research agenda specifying testable hypotheses and appropriate methodologies, and concrete implications for organisational leaders designing career transition support programmes.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cites 7
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- Contemplating Mindfulness at Work Journal of Management November 19, 2015
and 2 more in the library