Identity and Role Development Through Music Education: Insights From Symbolic Interactionist Theory

Symbolic interactionism conceptualizes human behavior and interaction through symbols and the meanings attributed to them. This study adopts a symbolic interactionist perspective to explore how music education shapes identity and social roles among a small group of undergraduate students. Using semi-structured interviews with five female music education undergraduates in Turkey, the study investigates how participants interpret their experiences in relation to selfhood, family, and professional roles. Findings indicate that music education supports self-confidence, adaptability, and social belonging, while also enabling students to challenge familial expectations and traditional gender norms. Although the limited sample prevents generalization, the study provides exploratory insights into the role of music education in identity construction and offers a framework for future research. Extended Abstract This qualitative case study examines how music education contributes to identity and role development from the perspective of symbolic interactionist theory. Symbolic interactionism emphasizes that the self is constructed through social interaction and the interpretation of shared symbols. In this study, five female undergraduate students enrolled in music education programs in Turkey participated in semi-structured interviews. The focus on female students reflects an interest in exploring gendered dimensions of identity construction in music education contexts. The findings highlight how music education supports transformations in personal, familial, social, and professional identities. Participants reported increased self-confidence, stronger social adaptability, and a deepened sense of belonging within musical communities. Using concepts such as the “looking-glass self,” “collective action,” and the “generalized other,” the analysis demonstrates how participants’ interactions with peers, instructors, and family members shaped their identity development. While music education fostered social cohesion and provided opportunities for self-expression, participants also described tensions, such as negative judgments from family members or difficulties adapting to group norms. These dynamics illustrate both the empowering and constraining effects of music education on identity formation. Importantly, the study finds that music education enabled participants to challenge traditional gender expectations, thereby positioning it as a site of personal agency and social negotiation. Due to the small, homogeneous sample, the results cannot be generalized. However, the study provides valuable exploratory insights into the ways music education interacts with identity and role development. Future research with larger and more diverse samples is needed to further investigate these dynamics.