Liminality, defined as a state of being betwixt and between social roles and/or identities, is the hallmark of an increasingly precarious and fluctuating career landscape. The generative potential of the liminality construct, however, has been restricted by six key assumptions stemming from the highly institutionalized nature of the rites of passage originally studied. As originally construed, liminality (1) implied both an objective state and the subjective experience of feeling betwixt and between, and was (2) temporary, (3) obligatory, (4) guided by elders and/or supported by a community of fellow liminars, (5) rooted in culturally legitimate narratives, (6) and led to a progressive outcome, i.e., the next logical step in a role hierarchy. By recasting these assumptions as variables, we improve the construct’s clarity, precision, and applicability to contemporary liminal experiences that are increasingly under-institutionalized. We illustrate the utility of our updated conceptualization by arguing that under-institutionalized liminality is both more difficult to endure and more fertile for identity growth than the highly institutionalized experiences that gave rise to the original notion. Drawing from adult development theory, we further propose that for under-institutionalized experiences to foster identity growth, the identity processes involved need to be more akin to identity play than identity work. We discuss the theoretical implications of our ideas for research on liminality, identity, and careers.

边缘性被定义为介于社交角色和/或身份之间的一种状态，是日益不稳定和多变的职业前景的标志。然而，由于最初研究的通过仪式的高度制度化性质，六个主要假设限制了名词结构的产生潜力。正如最初所解释的那样，边际性（1）暗示着两者之间以及之间的感觉的客观状态和主观体验，并且（2）是暂时的，（3）强制性的，（4）在长者的指导下和/或在同伴的支持下局限性（5）植根于文化上合法的叙述中（6），并导致渐进的结果，即角色层次结构中的下一个逻辑步骤。通过将这些假设重铸为变量，我们可以提高构造的清晰度，准确性，以及适用于制度化程度越来越低的当代阈值体验的适用性。我们通过论证说，与引起原始概念的高度制度化的经历相比，制度化程度低的限制更难以忍受，并且对于身份成长更加肥沃，从而说明了更新后的概念化的效用。从成人发展理论的角度出发，我们进一步提出，要使制度化不足的经验促进身份成长，涉及的身份过程需要比身份工作更类似于身份游戏。我们讨论了我们的思想对合法性，身份和职业研究的理论意义。我们通过论证说，与引起原始概念的高度制度化的经历相比，制度化程度低的限制更难以忍受，并且对于身份成长更加肥沃，从而说明了更新后的概念化的效用。从成人发展理论的角度出发，我们进一步提出，要使制度化不足的经验促进身份成长，涉及的身份过程需要比身份工作更类似于身份游戏。我们讨论了我们的思想对合法性，身份和职业研究的理论意义。我们通过论证说，与引起原始概念的高度制度化的经历相比，制度化程度低的限制更难以忍受，并且对于身份成长更加肥沃，从而说明了更新后的概念化的效用。从成人发展理论的角度出发，我们进一步提出，要使制度化不足的经验促进身份成长，涉及的身份过程需要比身份工作更类似于身份游戏。我们讨论了我们的思想对合法性，身份和职业研究的理论意义。我们进一步建议，要使制度化不足的经验促进身份成长，涉及的身份过程需要比身份工作更类似于身份游戏。我们讨论了我们的思想对合法性，身份和职业研究的理论意义。我们进一步建议，要使制度化不足的经验促进身份成长，涉及的身份过程需要比身份工作更类似于身份游戏。我们讨论了我们的思想对合法性，身份和职业研究的理论意义。