A Sense of Identity• Erikson: Identity vs. Role Confusion

• Adolescence

– Identity Crisis

– Moratorium

• Marcia’s Identity Statuses (next slide)

– Diffusion

– Foreclosure

– Moratorium

–Achieved

Developmental Progress of Identity Formation

• Philip Meilman study

• Age 12-15: diffusion or foreclosure

• Age 18: moratorium

• 20% 18 year old; 40% college; slightly more than half of 24 year olds= Id achiev.

Influences on Identity Formation• 1. Cognitive growth: formal operations

• 2. Relationships with parents

– Rejection, neglect: diffusion status

– Identification w/parents first helps

– Foreclosure: may not develop own ID

– Achieved more likely if living independently

– Moratorium, Identity Achieved

• Affection and freedom at home

Influences on Identity Formation

• Prior stage resolution

• Educational/work history

• Models/alternatives

• Personality traits

• Gender

Critique of Identity Status Model

• Validity/reliability of test instrument

• Replication

• Expand samples

• Cross-cultural

• Type model

• Timing in recent cohorts

The Self in a Cross-Cultural Perspective

• Culture

• Gender

• Age

Culture

• Collectivism vs. Individualism

• Collectivism

define self as part of group

welfare of group; goals

social norms

duties and obligations

Culture

• Individualism

define self as separate from group

personal goals

welfare of individual

internal processes

Implications for the Development of the Self

• Childrearing patterns

• Meaning of different aspects of the self

• Value systems, i.e. heroes

• Relationships vs. possessions

• Motives and behaviors

Men, Women and Identity Formation

• Gender: sociocultural aspects of being masculine or feminine

• Gender Identity: set by age three; acts as perceptual filter; expectations deeply ingrained; basis of stereotypes

• Real gender differences actually small

Gender Roles

Female Expressive Role

establish/maintain relationships

nurturing, cooperation, sensitivity

Male Instrumental Role

goal/achievement oriented

dominance, assertiveness, independence

more valued role in society

Social Role Theory

• Contribution of biological factors minimal

• Roles learned through socialization

• Gender splitting

Evolutionary Psychology

• Natural selection

• Successful adaptation

• Cultural processes have coevolved

• Gender revolution

Prominence of the Male Model of Development

• Erikson, identity and females

• Female= deficient or deviant

• Contradiction- femininity and adulthood

• Strengths may be dysfunctional in our society

Identity Research and Women

• Content different while process similar

• Differences- sociocultural not capacities

• Foreclosure may = identity achievement

• Timing

Patterns of Age-Related Change in Adult Personality

• Declines in neuroticism, extroversion and openness

• Increase in agreeableness, conscientiousness

• Rate of change highest age 18-30• Older less: thrill seeking, cheerfulness,

openness • Older more: self-control, morally

responsible, aware of social demands

Explanation of Age-Related Changes

• Cross-cultural findings suggest nature

• Advantages at different points in lifespan

• Orderly pattern to adult personality development regardless of place or time

Maintaining Continuityof the Self

• Most elders have positive sense of self

• Cognitive explanation

• Subjective age

• Patterns in subjective age

• Positive or negative subjective age

Causes of Low Self-Esteem in Late Adulthood

• If negative, unlikely to reverse

• Drop in self-esteem: loss of physical capacity or loss of control