Lecture 14: Identity Flashcards
What is the most useful and economical way to organize our personality judgements?
With the Big 5 taxonomy
What do we need to know about a person to know them well?
The Big 5 traits that describe them and their motives
Are the Big 3 motives correlated with the Big 5 traits?
No
True or False
Big 3 motives cannot predict life outcomes.
False, the Big 3 motives can predict life outcomes.
How much do people change in their personality over their life? In terms of the Big 5 traits?
The Big 5 traits of a person are stable. Remember that they are in part due to genetics. However, change is possible!
How much do people change in their personality over their life?
In terms of the Big 3 motives?
The Big 3 motives are not as stable as the Big 5 traits.
What is Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory?
8 Levels:
- Trust
- Autonomy
- Initiative
- Industry
- Identity
- Intimacy
- Generativity
- Integrity
Given Erikson’s Psychosocial stages, what is stage 1 and when does it happen?
Stage 1 is Trust and it happens during the first year of life.
Given Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages, what is stage 2, when does it happen and what does it mean?
Stage 2 is autonomy, it happens during the second year of life and it is when children start expressing autonomy in a controlled way.
Given Erikson’s Psychosocial stages, what is stage 3, when does it happen?
Stage 3 is Initiative and it happens during 4 and 5 years of life
Given Erikson’s Psychosocial Stage, what is stage 4, when does it happen and what does it mean?
Stage 4 is Industry, it happens during childhood to mid-adolescence and it is when children start comparing themselves to others. This is also their early academic years.
Given Erikson’s Psychosocial stages, what is stage 5, when does it happen and what does it mean?
Stage 5 is identity. It happens during late adolescence and young adulthood. It is when individuals are answering the questions: “who am I”, “who will I become when I am an adult?”.
Given Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages, what is the 6th stage, when does it happen?
The 6th stage is intimacy, it happens during young adulthood.
Given Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages, what are the last two stages and when do they happen?
Generativity and Integrity. During midlife and old age.
True or False
It is not normal for 17 years old to have identity crisis.
False,
it is common to have an identity crisis between 15 and 25 years old. Specially occupational crisis.
What is the percentage of young people (15 to 25 years of age) who are not sure about their career trajectory?
25%
What is identity according to McAdams?
“Identity is mainly about exploring and ultimately committing to specific life goals and values for the long haul. […] choosing what sort of career goals […] deciding the most important values in your life, […].
According to James Marcia, what does identity formation consist of?
- Exploration
- Commitment
Which ones are the two crucial areas of identity?
- Occupational goals
- Personal ideology
- Religion
- Politics
How does Marcia categorize identity development in individuals?
- Identity Diffusion
- Foreclosure
- Moratorium
- Identity achievment
What is identity diffusion?
- Not actively exploring and no commitment
- Alienated and isolated
- Distant from parent
- Apathy and Dysphoria
What is Foreclosure?
- Committed without any exploration
- Goal-directed
- Very close to family
- Choose similar friends
- Confidence and sureness
What is Moratorium?
- Actively exploring, no commitment
- Preoccupied and struggling
- Marked ambivalence toward parents
- Anxiety and doubt
What is identity achievement?
- Committed
- Trust themselves
- Able to explain their choices
- View parents in a balancedway
- Reflective confidence
How does Marcia see Foreclosure?
Marcia sees Foreclosure as an inadequate attempt to get an identity.
Explain the study done by Marcia on self-esteem. What were the results?
- Self-esteem was measured before and after doing the concept formation task
- It was mentioned to the participants that the test relates to intelligence and success in school.
- They would give positive (better) or negative (worse) feedback “_____ than national norms”
- Results:
- Participants in the diffusion and foreclosure categories showed a change in self-esteem
- Participants in moratorium and achieve didn’t show a change in self-esteem
What is Erikson’s take on intimacy?
“It is only after a reasonable sense of identity has been established that real intimacy with another person is possible.”
What are the intimacy status categories?
- Isolate
- lacks enduring personal relationships
- Stereotyped
- Relationships lack depth
- Pre-intimate
- Friends but no commitment
- intimate
- Commitment and mutuality
What percentage of people in a given identity category are in either Isolate/stereotype OR pre-intimate/intimate?
Can personality traits affect identity development?
Yes, problematic personality traits may reflect developmental struggle
What effect can culture have on identity?
Some cultures encourage or discourage people to explore identity
