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IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT OF ADOLESCENTS Erik Erikson (I know, right?) • His best work was in the 1960s • Like Piaget, was a developmental psychologist • Like Piaget, he was very stages oriented. Erik Erikson (I know, right?) • Focused on the adolescent’s struggles with developing his/her individual identity • Used a variety of definitions to explain “identity” • “Identity” a complex concept, but is essentially the answer to who you feel you are, esp. in comparison to others. Adolescence in Erikson’s words • “Like a trapeze artist, the young person in the middle of vigorous motion must let go of his safe hold of childhood and reach out for a firm grasp on adulthood, depending for a breathless interval on a relatedness between the past and future, and on the reliability of those he must let go of, and those who will “receive” him.” (1964) Identity • Identity Crisis: Period in which adolescents struggle to define their personal understanding of who they are. • Erikson claims you are searching for/developing your identity but do not have one at this time. • Your development of your personal identity is your ticket out of adolescence. Identity • James Marcia says we shift through four different statuses in our quest to develop our identity • (Note: These do not need to be in order) • Identity Moratorium: exploring various identity options, but no commitment • Ex. The freshman who joins German club, marching band, Key club, honors courses, and the Ultimate club (but doesn’t really invest much time in any one of them) • Identity Foreclosure: conforming to the identity others set for you • Ex. Going to Miami U. because the rest of your family did too Identity • (Identity Statuses continued) • Identity Diffusion: “drifting” without any real goal, plan, etc. • Ex. Your older brother who moved back into your parents’ place, doesn’t bother going out to look for a job • Identity Achievement: actively exploring a few options but committing to them. Forging your own identity • Ex. After weighing the options, you decide to go to Akron U. to study Early Childhood Education and be the first teacher in the family Mead’s Rebuttal • Margaret Mead studied native Samoan society • Adolescence is not a major transition period • Natural development is much smoother • Societal expectations make adolescence rocky.