Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Date of Degree
6-2025
Document Type
Doctoral Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Program
Psychology
Advisor
Deepshikha Chatterjee
Committee Members
Harold Goldstein
Charles Scherbaum
Wei Wang
Julie Dinh
Subject Categories
Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Abstract
In an increasingly polarized sociopolitical climate, external societal events can profoundly impact employees in the workplace. This dissertation examines the U.S. Supreme Court’s repeal of Roe v. Wade (1973) as a psychological mega-threat and explores its effects on employed women’s identity fusion and disidentification. Drawing on Leigh and Melwani’s (2019) theory of mega-threats and integrating cognitive and affective appraisal frameworks, the two studies investigate how employed women process and respond to the mega-threat, assessing the role of political ideology and occupational context. Study One is a qualitative interview study (N = 15 employed women). Thematic analysis found four themes: perceptions of mega-threat (sub-themes: physical threat, psychological threat), identity fusion (sub-themes: sisterhood, activism), disidentification (sub-themes: distancing, interpersonal mistrust), and career impacts (sub-themes: career disruption concerns, workplace stigma and norms). Appraisals and responses varied widely, shaped by their personal worldviews and workplace norms. Study Two is an experimental vignette design (N = 340 employed women) who were assigned to either a Mega-Threat (n = 173) or No Mega-Threat (n = 167) condition. Using a dual-pathway model, the study tested an exploratory mediation because the mediators could not be ethically manipulated. Specifically, cognitive (challenge, hindrance, threat) and affective appraisals mediated the effect of mega-threat exposure on identity outcomes. Although exploratory, results provide preliminary evidence that challenge appraisals predict greater identity fusion, and that political ideology moderates several appraisals–outcome relationships. Taken together, the two studies theoretically expand the concept of mega-threats to include consideration of psychological threats (above and beyond physical threats), show how sociopolitical events can permeate organizational walls, and affect identity fusion and disidentification depending on personal and contextual factors. Practical recommendations on how organizations can best support women employees are offered.
Recommended Citation
Shah, Shivani, "Overturning of Roe v. Wade as a Mega-Threat: Effects on Women’s Identity Fusion and
Disidentification in the Workplace" (2025). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/6266
