Identity Development in Adolescence

Samuel R. Mathews, Ph.D.

Department of Psychology

The University of West Florida

Identity: Key Constructs

• Autonomy– A sense that the individual participates

actively and with some degree of control in decision-making:

• About self• In interactions with others

– Patterns of family interactions inhibit or enhance this decision-making

Identity: Key Constructs

• Individuation:– As adolescents make decision and

experience consequences they begin to define themselves as different from others

– Adolescents begin to separate the affective element of an event and the intellectual analysis of that event

Identity: Key Constructs

• Individuation (cont’d)– Families impact this process

• Allowing decision-making within boundaries supports the process of individuation

• Openness of emotions within family supports this process

• Supporting exploration within boundaries can lead to free but cautious explorations by the adolescent

• Positive outcomes follow from a balance of independence and familial closeness

Erikson’s Perspective on Identity Dev.

• Fifth stage in Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development

• Individual has likely acquired major tools of the culture

• Emphasis shifts to establishing an identity separate from but related to family of origin

Erikson’s Perspective on Identity Dev.

• Explorations beyond the family system increase and provide a sampling of alternatives to that family system

• Individuals who explore and internalize a set of values, beliefs, expectations, and norms will likely reach an identity achieved

Marcia’s Identity Status Model

• Major constructs:– Commitment: construction of a relatively

stable set of values, beliefs, roles, norms, and expectations

– Exploration: behaviorally or vicariously seeking out experiences typically beyond the family or origin

Marcia’s Identity Status Model

• Identity Diffused– Neither committed nor engaged in exploration;

– May have some explorations but more of a “meandering rather than intentional exploration

– Seem to be more of a carefree drifting than exploration.

Marcia’s Identity Status Model

• Identity Foreclosed—– Committed to an identity without significant

exploration;– Focused on well defined goals– Behavior conforms to expectations of

authority– Lack flexibility and can be defensive – Adopt values, beliefs, etc. of authority figures

Marcia’s Identity Status Model

• Identity Moratorium– Engaged in exploration of roles, values, etc.

– Tend to move between conformity and rebellion

– Tend to be more anxious than other statuses

Marcia’s Identity Status Model

• Identity achieved– Tend to have resolved questions about their

own values, norms, etc.– More thoughtful and introspective – Can explain their explorations and choices– Perform well under stress– Tend to resolve moral dilemmas at high levels

of moral reasoning

Domains of Exploration

• Gender Role/Sexual Identity

• Ideological/Political/Theological

• Career

• Interpersonal (may be beyond gender role)

Berzonsky’s Identity Styles

• Based on how the individual searches for and processes information during explorations for identity

Berzonsky’s Identity Styles

• Informational style– ”actively seek out and evaluate self-relevant

information”(2004,pg 213)

– Tend to be “…reflective conscientious, open to experience, problem focused, and vigilant decision-makers.” (2004, pg 213)

– Associated with achieved or moratorium identity status (ala Marcia)

Berzonsky’s Identity Styles

• Normative Style– “rely more automatically on the expectations

and prescriptions of significant others” (pg. 213);

– “conscientious and purposeful but highly structured and closed to information that might conflict with their beliefs and values” (pg. 213).

– Associated with a foreclosed status (ala Marcia)

Berzonsky’s Identity Styles• Diffuse/Avoidant Style

– “procrastinate, delay, and attempt to avoid facing up to identity issues as long as possible” (pg. 213)

– “…behavior determined by situational factors and hedonic cues”

– “…emotion-focused coping, avoidant decisional strategies, cross-situational variability, other-directedness, and self-handicapping” (pg. 213)

– Associated with uncommitted adolescents with diffuse status (ala Marcia)

Berzonsky’s Identity Styles• Berzonsky (2004) Findings:

– Adolescents reporting authoritative parenting styles in their families of origin were more likely “informational” in their identity searches;

– Adolescents reporting permissive parenting styles in their families of origin were more likely “diffuse/avoidant” in their identity searches;

– Adolescents reporting authoritarian parenting in their families of origin were more likely “normative” in their identity searches

Grotevant’s Perspectives:

• Individuality– Ability to express one’s own ideas– Ability to differentiate between self and others’

ideas

• Connectedness– Willingness to hear others’ ideas– Respecting others’ [plausible] ideas

Grotevant’s Perspectives:• Individuality

– Self Assertion: • Awareness of one’s own perspectives and ideas• Responsibility for communicating one’s own ideas

to others• Makes direct suggestions

– Separateness:• Awareness of differences between one’s own

ideas and ideas of others• Ability to state differences between one’s own

ideas and ideas of others• Makes statements of disagreements

Grotevant’s Perspectives:• Connectedness

– Permeability• Openness and responsiveness to others’ views• Willing to reach agreements • Complying to requests for additional information

– Mutuality• Sensitivity and respect for others and their views• Initiating compromise • Able to report feelings of others

Findings from Grotevant’s Work

• Adolescents’ expressions of individuality and connectedness were related to explorations and role taking

Findings from Grotevant’s Work• Fathers with high connectedness (e.g. permiability)

tended to have daughters who were high in mutuality and who engaged in explorations.

• Mothers with high self assertion tended to have daughters who engaged in explorations

• One conclusion that can be made is: Parents who display non-typical attributes tacitly encourage offspring to engage in a wide range of explorations.

Minority Ethnic Identity Development

• Cross’s Stages of Ethnic Minority Identity Development:

• Pre-encounter: • Typically found among younger members of a

minority group• Frequently are not aware of minority status• Activities, when members of minority and majority

groups present are based on the majority traditions

Minority Ethnic Identity Development

• Encounter:– Initial experience of minority status (e.g. act of

discrimination, hate crimes)– Individual recognizes difference and minority

status

Minority Ethnic Identity Development

• Immersion– Individuals initiate educational experiences to

learn more about their own ethnicity– Individuals tend to adopt traditions including

• Language• Lifestyles• Clothing• Perspectives• Food• Etc.

Minority Ethnic Identity Development

• Internalization:– Sense of one’s ethnicity is internalized as one

part of the individual– Individual tends to view others as individuals

rather than as members of groups– Goes beyond an essentialist perspective and

sees self and others as multidimensional