Investiture vs Divesture: which statement is true?

• A. Investiture discards identity; Divesture preserves it
• B. Investiture respects preexisting identity; Divesture discards it
• C. Investiture is informal; Divesture is formal
• D. Investiture and Divesture are unrelated to identity

Answer: (B)

In organizational socialization, investiture vs divestiture describe how a group handles a newcomer’s sense of self during onboarding. Investiture respects preexisting identity: the organization validates and builds on who the person already is, values their background, and helps integrate their current values and experiences into the role. This approach tends to foster a sense of belonging, motivation, and a smoother transition because the employee sees that their existing self is useful and welcomed.

Divestiture, by contrast, discards or strips away the newcomer’s prior identity, aiming to replace it with a role-specific identity defined by the organization. This can involve suppressing former beliefs or social cues and pushing conformity to established norms. The goal is to shape behavior and attitudes to fit the new role, often at the cost of the individual’s original self-concept.

Therefore, the statement that investiture respects preexisting identity and divestiture discards it captures the core distinction between the two processes.

The other options don’t fit because investiture isn’t about discarding identity, and the difference isn’t primarily about formality. Also, these processes are inherently related to identity, not unrelated.