Identity Flashcards
what is Erik Erikson’s theory?
the theory of psychosocial development. it suggests that individuals progress through developmental stages based on how they resolve / adjust to social crises throughout their lives.
what is the stage in the theory of psychosocial development that concerns adolescents?
identity vs. role confusion (12-18yrs)
this stage is concerned with discovering and solidifying one’s identity. it is the stage where individuals learn and explore the roles that they will have as adults.
- it is a time of confusion and exploration
- ‘trying on’ different roles/hats/identities
- most do not complete this stage until adulthood
what are the results of success & failure in the identity vs. role confusion stage?
success =
- strong sense of identity
- fidelity
failure =
- weak sense of self
- role confusion
- become more apathetic (withdrawal or lost in the crowd)
what is fidelity?
the ability to relate to others and form genuine relationships
what is adolescence?
the period of social and emotional development where individuals refine their sense of self in relation to others
- ‘who am I?’
‘who do I want to be?’
–> primary psychosocial task of adolescence = establishing an identity/sense of self
- time where individuals develop a more sophisticated understanding of others (just as complex; public & private faces)
-perspective taking
what is perspective taking?
the ability to assume another person’s perspective and understand their thoughts/feelings
what is social identity?
the part of the self-concept that comes from one’s group membership
- often defined according to how similar and different one is from others
- includes: religious identity, political identity, gender identity, etc.
what is self-concept?
the way we think about ourselves and describe ourselves
- often full of contradictions
- changes depending on social environment
- can feel like a ‘fraud’
what happens to the self-concept over time?
it becomes more… {CADIF}
- complex
- abstract
- differentiated
- integrated
- flexible
what is self-understanding
an individual’s cognitive representation of the self
- includes the content of self-concepts
- both an internal process + social cognitive construction
what is social cognitive?
understanding other people, inferring what is going on with others, being in touch with how others are thinking
what are the dimensions of adolescent self-understanding?
{DISTRACTS-S}
differentiation
integration of the self
social comparison (the looking glass self)
the unconscious self
real vs. ideal self / true vs. false self
abstraction and idealism
contradictions within the self
the fluctuating self
self-consciousness
self-protection
what is a narrative identity?
the stories people tell about themselves to define who they are for themselves and others
- core stories shape identity (in good or bad ways)
what is social & fluid identity?
social (vertical) identity:
where we come from
- parents, age, ethnicity
fluid (horizontal) identity:
what we have developed
- skills, friends
what pulls you into the future
- goals, desires
what is the role of family in identity development?
parents can set the boundaries for identity exploration
- based on strictness of household rules, control over child, may limit exposure to different identities
family that is secure and open relationships may act as a safety net for the child to comfortably explore their social surroundings and try on different roles/expose themselves to new identities
family that promotes individuality & connectedness = more adaptive development
- individuality: self-assertion & seperateness
- connectedness = mutuality & permeability
what is the role of friendship in identity development?
- more exposure to different identities
- provides feedback of different identities (allows people to test their identities)
- gain support & develop strong social understanding
- more adaptive identities; recognizing that multiple identities are possible
what are the effects of a strong identity?
- high self-esteem
- lower levels/risk of poor mental health
- motivated; better academic performance
- less aggressive
- protect well-being
what is James Marcia’s theory?
theory of identity development
- suggests that individuals move through stages of identity status by asking questions regarding the issues of: occupation, religion, politics, sexual behaviour (role experimentation)
4 stages:
- identity diffusion
- identity foreclosure
- identity moratorium
- identity achievement
teens/young adults move from identity diffusion/foreclosure to identity moratorium/achievement
describe the different statuses of the theory of identity development.
identity diffusion status
- has NOT explored identity options
- has NOT committed to an identity
…..does not make progress towards the issues of politics, religion, etc. (little sense of purpose in life)
identity foreclosure status
- has made a commitment to an identity without exploring others (NO identity experimentation)
…. established identity based on the choices/values of others (ex. strict/controlling parents OR choice to follow in parents footsteps)
identity moratorium status
- exploring other identities but has not yet made a commitment to one
….. can be an anxious/emotional time as they try on different roles
identity achievement status
- has explored other identities and has made a commitment to one
…. gained a coherent identity based on personal decisions
….. long process; usually not achieved by the end of adolescence
…. may be result of integrating multiple identities
what is an ethnic identity?
one’s sense of belonging to an ethnic group and the parts of thinking/beliefs/behaviours that are due to ethnic group membership
- involves sorting & resolving positive/negative feelings about one’s ethnic group
- can be more confusing/difficult to navigate as an individual of a minority; more pressure to understand identity
-ethnicity can influence adolescent experience/identity search due to different cultural norms
….ex. more strict parents, less risk-taking opportunities, shapes behaviour (ex. parental modelling of behaviour), shapes how others may respond around them
what is phinney’s model?
Phinney’s model of ethnic identity formation
- suggests that through the process of exploration & commitment, individuals come to understand and create an ethnic identity
- MAMA cycling: movement back and forth between moratorium & achievement stages
discuss the stages in phinney’s model.
stage 1: unexamined ethnic identity
- has NOT been exposed to ethnic identity issues
- little thought about ethnic heritage (similar to diffusion status)
- adopted ethnicity beliefs from parents and have NOT thought about the issues (similar to foreclosure status)
stage 2: ethnic identity search
- explore the customs, culture, history of ethnic group (similar to moratorium status)
- immersion of self in culture
stage 3: achieved ethnic identity
- has explored their culture and gained a deep appreciation/understanding (similar to achieved status)
- does not have to be involved in ethnic customs/maintain beliefs
what is self-esteem?
one’s evaluation of their own identity and overall sense of their worth
–> one’s attitude towards oneself
what is baseline & barometric self esteem?
baseline:
a level of positive or negative feelings about oneself that is fairly stable over time
barometric:
temporary changes in positive or negative feelings about oneself that occur in response to particular incidents
- self esteem fluctuations…
…..tends to decrease (temporarily) when transitioning schools or with other life changes (remains low if also other stressors in life)
……tends to increase from mid-late adolescence (esp. if confident in peer relationships, appearance**, and athletic abilities)
