Self and Identity Katie Davis H-137 October 28, 2009

Who am I?

Identity

INFANCY Trust vs. Mistrust EARLY CHILD-HOOD Autonomy vs. Shame PLAY AGE Initiative vs. Guilt SCHOOL AGE Industry vs. Inferiority ADOLESCENCE Identity vs. Identity Diffusion YOUNG ADULT Intimacy vs. Isolation ADULT Generativity vs. Self- absorption MATURE AGE Integrity vs. Despair

Erikson’s Conception of Identity “the awareness of...self-sameness and continuity...[and] the style of one’s individuality [which] coincides with the sameness and continuity of one’s meaning for others in the immediate community.” (Erikson, 1968, pg.50)

Marcia’s Identity Status Model

Possible Developmental Pathways Adapted from Moshman (2005)

What do youth actually do? Identity achievement increases over time; most stable state Foreclosures decrease over time Diffusions decrease or stay the same Moratorium – rarest & most volatile state High school students’ main movement is out of diffusion Emerging adults’ main movement is towards identity achievement Meeus, Iedema, Helsen, & Vollebergh (1999)

Identity Statuses & Well-Being Meeus, Iedema, Helsen, & Vollebergh (1999)

Self

Self = content + valence

Early Childhood (~ 3-4 years) Physical attributes (eye/hair color) Possessions (e.g. toys) Self-representations tied to behavior Specific skills Can’t distinguish between ideal and real selves Unrealistically positive self-assessments No social comparison

Middle Childhood (~ 5-7 years) Positive self-representations persist Self defined in terms of competencies Coordination of emotions with same valence Difficulty coordinating emotions of different valence Social comparison begins Compare former self to present self

Late Childhood (~ 8-11 years) Self-descriptions become more interpersonal Integrate specific behavioral traits into higher order generalization Self-attributes tied to specific situations More balanced self-assessments Social comparison used for self- evaluation “Looking-glass self”

Early Adolescence (~ years) Begin to form self-theory Self-attributes tied to interpersonal relationships & social skills “Proliferation of selves” across social contexts Compartmentalized selves Unconcerned about self-contradictions Self-worth varies across contexts Self-concept easily distorted; greater uncertainty

Middle Adolescence (~ years) More selves due to more social contexts & roles Angst due to awareness of self- contradictions Girls more bothered by self- contradictions Lowered self-worth Adolescent egocentrism: “imaginary audience” & “personal fable” (Elkind, 1967)

Late Adolescence (~ years) Ability to coordinate contradictory self- attributes Self-theory becomes more coherent Focus on “possible selves” (Markus & Nurius, 1986) Increased self-worth

Self & Identity Adolescence, adulthood 2 nd order integrated self- system “Story” Childhood, early adolescence 1 st order collection of self- attributions “List”

What’s the relationship between self & emotion?

In what ways are digital media influencing youth’s experience of themselves?

Blogger Study 20 girls, ages Recruited from LiveJournal At least 3 years blogging experience Hour-long, semi-structured interviews Timeframe: May – December 2007

Early Adolescence Emergence of abstract thought Uncertainty about true self Compartmentalized self- concepts Personality surveys List of daily experiences Emoticons, “Current Mood,” “Music Listening To” Middle Adolescence Abstract mappings Confusion & distress over self-contradictions Emotionally charged writing Use blog to “vent” and express “high school angst” Late Adolescence System of abstractions Sense of stability & security Attention turns outward to broader society Contemplation of “possible selves” Increased confidence in writing Shift in attention from personal topics to broader society Use of blog to contemplate future