Effect of performance on social identification in serious leisure activities: two studies of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers

Enhanced social identification enables leisure activity participants to experience positive health outcomes (e.g. alleviate depressive symptoms). Based on self-categorisation theory, it was hypothesised that performance affects the development of social identification in leisure activity. In the study, 198 participants completed an online survey after attempting to hike 3,218 kilometres of the Appalachian Trail; 56.1% performed successfully (i.e. finished). Post-hike social identification of finishers was significantly higher than non-finishers with a medium effect size. In study 2, results were replicated with participants (N = 170; 52.4% finishers) who completed surveys before and after attempting to hike the Appalachian Trail. Additionally, a repeated measures factorial ANOVA and post-hoc simple effects analyses revealed that initial social identification did not affect performance. Changes in social identification were significant. Finishers' social identification increased whereas non-finishers' social identification decreased with medium and small effect sizes, respectively. Results suggest performance has a reciprocal relationship with social identification in leisure activities. Intra-group processes are proposed as mechanisms for the relationship in leisure activities which lack inter-group competition. Interventions involving leisure activity with a performance element may need to include means for bolstering performance or post-performance social identification to ensure positive health outcomes associated with social identification are obtained.