The Self. Identity, Emotion, and Personality Flashcards
Identity Moratorium
This is the stage where the adolescent is in the middle of an identity crisis, but has not made any commitments.
Emotion
A feeling or affect that occurs when a person is in a state or an interaction that is important to him or her, especially to his or her well being.
A condition that reflects the unpleasantness or pleasantness that the individual is in.
Emotion is liked heavily to self esteem.
Self Regulation
Involves the ability to control ones behaviour without having to rely on others help. The self-generation and cognitive monitoring of thoughts., feelings, behaviours, in order to reach a goal.
Intimacy versus isolation
Erikson’s sixth developmental stage., which individuals experience during early childhood. At this time, individuals face the task of forming intimate relationships with others.
New classification of temperament continue to be forged.
Positive affect and approach:
This category is much like the personality trait of extraversion/introversion.
Negative affectivity:
This involves being easily distressed. Children with a temperament that involves negative affectivity may fret and cry often. Negative affectivity is closely related to the personality traits of introversion and neuroticism (emotional instability).
Effortful control (self regulation):
This involves the ability to control ones emotions.
Ethnic Identity
A basic aspect of the self that includes a sense of membership in an ethnic group, along with the attitudes and feelings related to that membership.
The Big Five Factors of Personality
View that personality os made up of :
Openness to Experience
Conscientiousness.
Extraversion.
Agreeableness.
Neuroticism.
Linked to aspects of a persons health, intelligence, cognitive functioning, achievement at work, and relationships.
The Big 5 model is not without criticism though, and researchers have suggested that more traits be included in the model, and that the traits are not accurately applicable cross-culturally.
Identity Diffusion
This is the stage where the adolescent has not had to face any crisis. This is, they have not explored different identities and have not made any commitments to an identity. At this stage, adolescents are undecided about vocational and ideological choices and show little interest in them.
Identity
Is who a person believes she or he is, representing a synthesis and integration of self-understanding.
The Narrative Approach
Is a means of examining identity changes in depth. Individuals are asked to tell their stories to evaluate the extent to which their stories are meaningful and integrated.
Optimism
Having a positive outlook on the future, and minimising problems.
Often referred to as a style of thinking.
Little research on optimism on children and adolescents.
Possible Selves:
Whilst some researchers argue that the discrepancy between note real and the ideal self can be a cause of maladaption, some researchers argue that this not be the case. The development of the possible self refers to what an individual might become, what they would like to become, and what they are afraid of becoming. Negative attitudes that are identify can be avoided.
Identity Foreclosure
This stage refers to adolescents who have made a commitment but have not adequately explored various identities. This often occurs when parents force commitments onto the adolescent, leaving the adolescent without opportunities to explore different ideologies and vocations of their own.
Personality
Refers to the enduring personal characteristics of individuals.
Perspective Taking
Is the ability to assume another persons perspective and understanding of his or her thoughts and feelings.
Self-Concept
Refers to domain specific evaluations of the self. Self-Evaluations in many domains including academic, athletic, physical appearance etc.
Researchers have also looked at how individuality and connectedness may influence identity.
Both have two dimensions. Individuality has two dimensions:
Self-assertion, or the ability communicate a point of view.
Separateness, the ability to express how one is different from others.
Connectedness has two dimensions:
Mutuality, a sensitivity to and respect of others views.
Permeability, an openness to others views.
Families that promotes these aspects produce more healthy identity development.
Self-Esteem
Also referred to as self-worth or self-image, is the global evaluative dimension of the self.
Self-Understanding in Adolescence
Abstraction and Idealism:
Adolescents tend to describe themselves in abstract and idealistic terms.
Not all adolescents describe themselves in idealistic ways, but most adolescents distinguish between the real self and the ideal self.
Differentiation:
Adolescents becomes increasingly differentiated over time where they are more likely than children to note contextual or situational variations when describing themselves. Many different selves each reflecting different contexts.
The Fluctuating Self:
Adolescents self fluctuates across situations and across time.
Contradictions within the self:
As adolescents begin to differentiate themselves, they sense potential contradictions between their differentiated selves.
Real Versus Ideal, True Versus False Selves:
The construction of ideal selves can be confusing to adolescents. There can be strong discrepancies between the real and ideal selves which can lead to depression etc, and is a sign of maladaption.
Possible Selves:
Whilst some researchers argue that the discrepancy between note real and the ideal self can be a cause of maladaption, some researchers argue that this not be the case. The development of the possible self refers to what an individual might become, what they would like to become, and what they are afraid of becoming. Negative attitudes that are identify can be avoided.
Social Comparison:
Used as a means of developing self-understanding. Adolescents will compare themselves to others as a way of developing their own understanding about themselves. Adolescents will not however reality admit this as comparisons are seen as socially undesirable / effecting popularity etc.
“The looking Glass Self” is the beliefs about how he or she is being viewed by others.
Self-Consciousness:
Adolescents are more likely to be self-conscious about their self-understanding compared to children. Adolescents often turn to peers from self-clarification and support as peers can act as a mirror for reflected self-appraisal.
Self-Protection:
Adolescence is a time of much confusion and conflict as adolescents develop a sense of self. During this time, adolescents might feel a need for self-protection. One way of doing this is to deny negative characteristics of the self. Consistent with the tendency of adolescents to describe themselves in idealistic ways.
Unconscious Self:
Developing a sense of self involves recognition of both conscious and unconscious components. However, this is more likely to occur in later adolescence when the individual will acknowledge that certain aspects of the self are unconscious.
Not Quite Yet a Coherent, Integrated Self:
The integration of the selves becomes problematic, only later in emerging adulthood are the multiple selves integrated.
The Four Stages of Identity
The four stages of identity:
