IDENTITY AND INTIMACY : According to Erikson, the socioemotional challenges duri
ID: 130108 • Letter: I
Question
IDENTITY AND INTIMACY : According to Erikson, the socioemotional challenges during adolescence and young adulthood include the development of identity and intimacy. Outline James Marcia's theory of identity formation (4), and describe TWO of the four identity classifications (4). Discuss how the development of Formal Operational Thought in adolescence and of Postformal thought in adulthood can contribute to solidifying a strong sense of identity (4 pts each). Provide TWO reasons for why research finds that loneliness is more common in adolescence and young adulthood (4)? Describe THREE factors that increase the likelihood of attraction and the establishment of friendship (3)? Discuss how friendships contribute to individuals’ well-being at each period of the lifespan (adolescence, young through middle adulthood, late adulthood) (2).
Explanation / Answer
1. Two of the most complex age group in the developmental stage are late adolescence and early adulthood. This is the time they go through the four stages of James Marcia. He proposes the four stages as identity forclosure where the person has committed to something without exploring any alternatives, identity diffusion where the person goes idle without doing anything committing to anything, identity moratorium where the person is not committed but explores alternatives and finally identity achievement where the person is settled with their identity.
2. Identity foreclosure is a stage where they just blindly accept whatever their parents, relatives and friends. They don't find the need to explore the alternatives. This is also otherwise called negative identity because the person do not yet know what they want on their own.
Identity Diffusion is a stage where they live in their own world without worrying about anything that come along their way. They don't worry about taking responsibility and being responsible. It's kind of don't care period and they also go through lots of peer pressure and social conformity which will push them to loneliness.
3. The formal operational stage starts from 12 years old, exactly the time when they develop all the reasoning skills and start exploring the world more independently. It lasts until the early adulthood. This where they start asking who am I? what is my identity? What is the purpose of my existence? What do I want to achieve when I grow? This is when they undergo the four stages of identity. They would indergo tremendous pressure from parents and teachers in terms of discipline and academics and from friends the need to join the friendship groups. They would also undergo lots of pressure about how they look and engage with others. When it comes to intimacy, there again comes lots of confusions. Finally when they identify themselves and their partner for intimate relationship, they will be at peace.
4. Adolescence is an age that worries about their physical appearance. If they underestimate themselves in terms of physical appearance they might try to avoid others.
When they fell in love or when they are attracted to the other gender they would still go hiding from their friends to spend time in loneliness thinking about it.
If they have no friends because of their shyness or inferiority complex, they will be still go into loneliness.
This is the stage where they will be very rebellious and get into argument with their parents. This will also push them to loneliness.
5. Physical appearance, Same interest, same locality, same class are few common attraction that help form friendship.
5. One of the gift that every lucky person on this universe possess is friends. You can share everything from good to bad and sadness to happiness. In short you can be who you are with your friends without slightest hesitation. People have friends in all the stages of their development from childhood to later adulthood. Some friendships even start from childhood and last till death. Friends keep us happy and reduce of sadness and stress by listening to us and comforting us. They will go with us no matter what happens.