chickering

7/28/2019 Chickering

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/chickering 1/21

ChickeringVectors of Identity Development

JosselsonIdentity Development in Women



Autonomy and Interdependence

• Individuation is becoming one’s own person andtaking increasing responsibility for self-support

• One can become financially and physically

independent while remaining emotionallydependent

• Autonomy does not only mean becoming aseparate, unique individual; but also maintainingconnections with others while being separateand unique




• Emotional Independence – Prior to young adulthood, most individuals are

dependent on their parents

– Upon entering young adulthood, individualsdo not typically become emotionallyindependent, but switch their locus of dependency (e.g. parents to peers; parents to

professor or hall director/career counselor) – Eventually individual begins to depend on

oneself for self-satisfaction




• Instrumental Independence – Ability to carry out activities on one’s own and

be self sufficient – Ability to leave on place and function well in

another




• Interdependence – Once individuals achieve autonomy they

recognize that their interests can oppose theinterests of other autonomous individuals

– Recognition of one’s impact on others lives – Interdependent individuals recognize need to

use judicially reciprocity, compromise,sacrifice, and consensus building



Kegan (1982) —The Evolving Self

• Development occurs as a result of competing desire to be included within agroup and to be independent andautonomous

• Individuals gravitate toward one of thesedesires until an imbalance occurs and theperson begins to move toward the other direction



Mature Interpersonal Relationships

• Interpersonal relationships exist betweentwo autonomous individuals who findbalance between dependency anddominance in a relationship

• Two Components:1. Tolerance and Appreciation of Differences2. Capacity for Intimacy




• Tolerance and Appreciation – The willingness not to judge or condemn

based on how others differ – The suspension of judgment does not

translate into the development of matureinterpersonal relationships; rather the

development of empathy is required



Bennett (1986) Ethnocentric toEthnorelative States

• Denial of Differences• Defense Against Differences

• Minimization of Differences

• Acceptance of Differences

• Adaptation of Differences• Integration of Differences




• Capacity for Intimacy – Willingness and ability to commit oneself to

close affective relationships for their own sake

(Douvan, 1981) – Rather than relying of relationships for

identification, individuals derive and contributebenefits from the relationship

– Individuals seek to continue mutuallybeneficial relationship despite internal (e.g.perceiving faults of the other) and external(e.g. peer disapproval of relationship) presses



Establishing Identity

• Comfort with Body an Appearance – Expression through selection of style/fashion – Eating Disorders

• Comfort with Gender and SexualOrientation – What does it mean to be a man or woman? – Exploration of what it means to be attracted to

different sex, same sex, particular aspects




• Sense of Self in a Social, Historical, andCultural Context – Identify with sub-population groups in which

one received from their parents (e.g. How do Imake sense of being a rural, Midwestern,White, green-collar, heterosexual, German-

American, Catholic, adoptee) – Identity with sub-population groups in which

one self-selects to exist (e.g. How do I makesense of being a suburban, Midwestern,White, white-collar, heterosexual, American,Messianic Jewish, adoptee)




• Clarification of Self-Concept through Rolesand Life-Style

• Sense of Self in Response to Feedbackfrom Valued Others

• Self-Acceptance and Self-Esteem – Personal value/merit



Developing Purpose

• Who Am I?• What Am I Able to Do?

• With Whom Do I Want to Share My Life?

• Developing purpose is the ability to be

intentional in one’s choices and pursuits,assess options, clarify goals, and persistdespite obstacles



Developing Purpose

• Vocational Plans and Aspirations – Not just securing a job or deciding upon a

career – Vocatio = Calling – Although career choices may change or

remain static, there is an increasing level of

clarity about what one want to do and what isthe next step in achieving that goal



Developing Purpose

• Personal Interests – Individuals can derive less, equal, or more

personal satisfaction and a sense of identityfrom their avocational interests than their vocation

• Interpersonal and Family Commitments



Developing Integrity

• Humanizing Values – Balancing self-interest with the interests of

others

• Personalizing Values – Consciously affirming core values and beliefs

wile respecting others’ views

• Developing Congruence – Matching personal values with sociallyresponsible behavior



Marcia (1966)Identity Resolution

• Expanded upon Erikson’s stage of Identityversus Role Confusion stage of lateadolescence in the college environment

• Marcia studied 86 male college students• Identity Resolution Based on Two Factors

– Has the individual experienced a crisis period

related to vocational choice, religion, or political ideology – Extent of his personal commitment to

particular choices



Marcia (1966)Identity Resolution

Has Made Has Experienced CrisisCommitment No Yes

No

Yes

Identity

Diffusion

Foreclosure

Moratorium

Identity

Achievement



Josseslon’s Later Research • Josselson, R. (1987). Finding herself: Pathways

to identity development in women. – Examined 34 of original 60 women 12 years after they

left college

– The women in the four groups were still verydistinguishable

• Josselson, R. (1998). Revising herself: The story of women’s identify from college to midlife.

– Examined 30 of the original 60 women 22 years after they left college. – Found most of the women, regardless of their stage at

the end of college had come to the same place



Identity DevelopmentWomen and Men

• Women find their identity by relating toothers and have the capacity toexperience higher levels of intimacy

• Men find their identity by choosing acareer and the development of an ideology

• On Marcia’s three criteria, men are more

likely to reach identity achievement inoccupation and ideology; men and womenare equal on religion.

chickering

Documents