Adolescence and Identity Development: Exploring "Who Am I?

1. Topik 10 Adolescent Socio-emotional Development

2. IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT

3. Identity: Asking "Who Am I?" • During adolescence, self consciousness • takes center stage! • Teens focus on wondering “Who am I?” and “Where do I belong in the world?” • WHY?? • Teens begin to become more like adults intellectually • Realize the importance of establishing self in society, and shaping their individuality • Teens become more like adults physically • Dramatic changes during puberty make teens acutely aware of their own bodies

4. Self Concept: Refining Self Perceptions • Self concept broadens during adolescence to include both one's own assessment of who you are and also includes others' views. • The view of self becomes more organized and coherent. • Adolescents can look at themselves in terms of traits and can see multiple aspects of themselves (which can be confusing at first).

5. Self-esteem: Evaluating Oneself • During adolescence, teens become increasingly accurate in understanding who they are (they develop their self concept) • The increase in self-concept does not mean that they like themselves any better (self esteem may still be low)

6. Self-esteem is influenced by several factors: • Gender - especially in early adolescence, girls have lower self-esteem • SES - higher SES leads to more self-esteem (especially in late adolescence when one can buy things of value)

7. Forming an identity during the teen years: crisis or change? Erik Erikson asserted that adolescents may encounter substantial psychological difficulties in their search for identity (“the adolescent identity crisis”) • Erikson's stage is IDENTITY-VERSUS-IDENTITY-CONFUSION STAGE, where adolescents seek to determine what is unique and distinctive about themselves.

9. (Erikson's IDENTITY-VERSUS-IDENTITY-CONFUSION STAGE, continued) • Those who do not find a suitable identity, tend to follow a dysfunctional path because their sense of self is "diffuse". • There are a lot of social pressures to achieve a secure identity (or at least have clear career or major goals). • Which job track to follow? • Attend college? Which one? • Now, adolescents rely more on friends and peers than adults.

10. What is IDENTITY? • Identity is a new way of thinking about oneself that emerges during adolescence. • Identity involves a sense of self-unity, accompanied by a feeling that the self has continuity over time. • A firmly established identity also provides a sense of uniqueness as a person.

11. During Adolescent Stage • Changes occurs  influence adolescent to find and form own identity (differs from their parents). • Changes that occurs forced adolescent to “adjust and re-arrange” their lives  formed a new identity. • The physical, cognitive and socio-emotional development  its impact and influence on adolescent. • Form own perception on self  include peers evaluation.

12. Approaches in understanding identity • Involve the cognitive element • Self-concept • Involve emotion element • Self-value or self-image • Involve personal element • Questions about self

13. Search for Identity • According to Erikson:- • A teenager effort to make sense of the self is a:- • Part of a healthy , vital process that builds on the achievement of earlier stages. • Groundwork for coping with the crisis of adult life. • A man needs a stable identity before reaching intimacy, whereas, women define themselves through marriage and motherhood ( may be different now).

14. IDENTITY • Erik Erikson, • defined identity as a "subjective sense of an invigorating sameness and continuity," as well as a "sense of feeling active and alive.“ • According to Erikson's psychosocialmodel of development, identity must be perceived by the individual, but also recognized and confirmed by others

15. Erickson’s Psychosocial Developmental Stage • 8 series of stages  begin with infancy and ending with old age. • Each stage is named for the particular psychosocial crisis or challenge that an individual must resolve before moving to the next stage.

16. Erikson's Stages of Development • Basic Trust Versus Basic Mistrust (0-1 yr) • Autonomy Versus Shame (1-3 yrs) • Initiative Versus Guilt (3-6 yrs) • Industry Versus Inferiority (6-12) • Identity Versus Identity Diffusion (12-19) • Intimacy Versus Isolation (19-25) • Generativity Versus Self-Absorption (25-50) • Integrity Versus Despair (50 & above)

17. Stage 5: Identity vs Role Confusion • Focus on: • Formation of identity • Coherent

18. IDENTITY – According to James Marcia • Marcia argued that • identity could be viewed as a structure of beliefs, abilities and past experiences regarding the self. • "The better developed this structure is, the more individuals appear to be of their own...strengths and weaknesses.... • The less developed this structure is, the more confused individuals seem to be about their own distinctiveness from others and the more they have to rely on external sources to evaluate themselves." (Marcia, 1980, p. 159).

19. Identity is a dynamic, not static psychological structure. • The formation of identity in adolescence sets the stage for continual changes in the content of identity through the adult years.

20. Marcia's Identity Statuses • In Marcia's model, identity involves the adoption of • a sexual orientation, • a set of values and ideals and • a vocational direction • A well-developed identity gives on a sense of one's strengths, weaknesses, and individual uniqueness. • A person with a less well-developed identity is not able to define his or her personal strengths and weaknesses, and does not have a well articulated sense of self.

21. According to Marcia • Crisis & Commitment  influence individual identity status. • Identity formation  a long term process. • Choose • Arrange • Try • Push out • Re-built • Finally  choose (unique to him/her self)

22. Marcia’s identity formation process • Foreclosure. • Diffusion. • Moratorium. • Achievement. • * Not progressive  based on experience and exploration

23. Foreclosure. • Commitment without crisis • Lack exploration of alternatives • Commitment has been made, but without exploration of alternatives, identity is not attained • Developmentally unsophisticated level of achievement • Adopt parents' characteristics

24. Diffusion • Lack of commitment • Lack of exploration of alternatives • Least sophisticated level of development • Typically the level at which identity formation is begun • Do not feel accepted by parents

25. Moratorium • Active exploration of alternative identities • Commitment is desired, but it is not yet attained • Sophisticated level of development

26. Achievement • Individual has explored alternatives. • Commitment is at a high level • According to individual's in this status, "The parts of my self feel as though they have finally come together." ( Archer, 1990 ). • Most developmentally sophisticated status of identity formation. • Perceive parents as supportive

27. “Exploration”

28. Marcia’s 4 categories of adolescent identity (cont) • Although adolescents are not stuck in one category, research indicates that identity gels by the age of 18. • For some, identity formation takes place beyond the adolescent period .

29. Identity Confusion • Identity problem • Autonomy problem • Attachment problem • Sexuality problem • Achievement problem

30. Social Influence in Identity Formation • Family • Discipline & relationship • Environment • Socio-cultural • Diet • Education • Peers • Status symbol • Mass media

31. Identity, Race & Ethnicity • Forming an identity presents a particular challenge for members of ethnic and racial backgrounds because of contradictory societal values • “Society should be color blind, race and ethnic background should not affect opportunity or achievement” • Cultural assimilation model holds that individual cultural identities should be assimilated into a unified culture (“melting pot model”). • “Racial and ethnic factors should be a central part of teenagers’ identities”

32. Identity, Race & Ethnicity (con’t) • “Society should be color blind • race and ethnic background should not affect opportunity or achievement” • Cultural assimilation model holds that individual cultural identities should be assimilated into a unified culture (“melting pot model”).

33. (Contrasting views of Identity, Race & Ethnicity, continued) • Pluralistic society model suggests that the U.S. society is made up of diverse, coequal cultural groups that should preserve their individual cultural features (“tossed salad model”). • Developed in part because research suggests that the cultural assimilation model denigrates the cultural heritage of minorities and lowers self esteem • Racial and ethnic factors should be a central part of teenagers’ identities”

34. Contrasting views of Identity, Race & Ethnicity (cont) • Bicultural identity suggests that adolescents can draw from their own culture and integrate themselves into the dominant culture (“the middle ground model”). • Suggests that the teen live as a member of two cultures, and have two cultural identities without having to choose

35. Depression and suicide are two critical psychological difficulties for adolescents. • Some research suggests that about 20-35% of boys, and 25-40% of girls report experiencing depressed moods in the previous 6 months • Although many adolescents experience depressed moods, only a small number experience a major depression, a full-blown psychological disorder in which depression is severe and lingers for long periods. • Roughly 3% of teens

36. Teen Depression (continued…) • Depression has several causes, including biological, environmental, and social factors. • Genetic predisposition • Death of loved one • Depressed parent • Unpopular • Few close friends • Experiencing rejection

37. Girls have higher incidences of depression than boys but the cause is not clear. • Are there more stresses on the female gender role? • Is this the results of girls' tendencies to react to stress by turning inward, thus experiencing helplessness and hopelessness? • Hormonal differences are not a factor • Some research suggests that African-Americans and Native Americans also have higher depression rates (same suspected reasons as for girls)

38. Another result of psychological difficulties in adolescence: suicide • Adolescent suicide rates have tripled in the last 30 years - it is the 3rd most common cause of death for teenagers • The current rate is one teenage suicide every 90 minutes. • More girls attempt suicide than boys but more boys succeed. • Males tend to use more violent methods. • There are estimates of as many as 200 attempts for every successful suicide.

39. There are some clear warning signs for suicide possibility… • Direct or indirect talk • I wish I were dead” • “Don’t worry, I’ll be out of your hair soon” • School difficulties • missed classes, drop in grades • Writing a will • Changes in eating habits • General depression • Sleep habits, lack of energy, uncommunicative • Dramatic behavior changes • Preoccupation with death • Art, music, conversation

40. Some Main Points About Deterring Adolescent Suicide • Talk to the person, listen without judging, be supportive! • Talking to the person about specifics will not give the person ideas or encourage the act. This is a myth! • Evaluate the situation—do not leave the person alone if serious danger exists. • Find help! Local & national hotlines are one good source

41. Relationships During the Teen Years:Family and Friends • Family relationships change during when adolescents begin to question, and sometimes rebel, against their parents' views. • One reason: shift in roles (especially the quest for adulthood and autonomy by people that were considered children until recently!)

42. Autonomy and relationships during the teen years…. • Adolescents are seeking AUTONOMY - independence and a sense of control over their lives. • The increase in autonomy usually occurs gradually throughout adolescence and changes the parent-child relationship from an asymmetrical to a more balanced one (for power and influence).

43. The Quest for Autonomy & the Effects of Culture • The degree of autonomy achieved varies with families & cultural expectations • Western societies tend to value individualism • Asian cultures value collectivism • desire for autonomy less pronounced. • Also more feelings of obligation & duty toward family…

44. Differences between teen and parental views of the world: A motivation for autonomy? • The GENERATION GAP, a divide between parents and adolescents in attitudes, values, aspirations, and worldviews, is mostly a myth: adolescents and their parents tend to share the same major values. • On social, political, and religious issues, parents and teens are mostly in synch • The difference in values and attitudes between teens is greater than the difference between parent and teen!

45. On the other hand, parent & teen relationships do experience conflict… • In matters of personal taste differences are often great. • Adolescents' argumentativeness and new assertiveness can initially cause conflict in the family but are usually resolved by the end of this stage • Parents even come to see their teens arguments as reasonable and realize teens can be trusted with more freedom

46. Time Spent by Teens with Parents The amount of time spent with each parent remains remarkably stable across adolescence. Despite their request for autonomy & independence, most teens have deep love, affection & respect for their parents..

47. Relationships with peers: The importance of belonging……  Peer relationships are more critical to adolescents than any other time of life. • Peers provide an opportunity for social comparison and information. • REFERENCE GROUP, a group of people with whom one compares oneself. • Reference groups present a set of norms or standards, against which adolescents judge their social success.

48. Adolescents are usually part of some identifiable group. • CLIQUES are 2 to 12 people who have frequent interaction; • CROWDS are larger groups where people share some characteristic but often don't interact with each other. • Stereotypes: jocks, brains, druggie, nobody, etc.—strong agreement among teens about the characteristics of each group! • There are strong expectations that people in a particular crowd behave in specific ways. (Is it a self-fulfilling prophesy?)

49. Another aspect of social and personality development during the adolescent years: gender relations  Gender relations change during the period of adolescence. • SEX CLEAVAGE is characteristic of early adolescence where girls play with girls, boys with boys. • With puberty, there is hormonal and social pressure to interact and eventually most adolescents are in mixed-sex cliques. • At the end of adolescence, cliques become less powerful and male-female relationships become the focus.

50. Popularity and rejection are central focuses of adolescent lives. ~ Complex social world during the teen years! Categorization can effect social and personality development! High status Categories: • Popular adolescents, who are most liked • Controversial adolescents, who are like by some and disliked by others  Low status categories • Rejected teens, who are uniformly disliked • Neglected teensadolescents, who are neither liked nor disliked