Chapter 10: Adolescence Psychosocial Development
o Identity versus role confusion:
Erikson’s term for the 5th stage of development
It is facing the complexities of finding one’s owns identity
Adolescent is confused as to which of many possible roles to adopt
* This crisis is solved with…*
o Identity achievement:
When adolescents have reconsidered the goals and values of their
parents and culture; accepting some and discarding other others,
thus establishing their own identity.
Result is neither complete rejection of unquestioning acceptance of
o James Marcia’s 4 specific ways young people cope with this stage of life:
1. Role Confusion:
• Opposite of identity achievement
• Characterized by lack of commitment to any goals or
• Sometimes called identity diffusion
• Occurs when young people accept traditional values.
• They might follow roles and customs transmitted from their
parents or culture; never having explored any alternatives
• Or they might foreclose on an opposite, negative identity
(without thoughtful questioning)
• For many, foreclosure is a temporary shelter—a time for
commitment to a particular identity—which might be
followed by more exploration.
• A more mature shelter; a timeout that includes some
exploration, by either breadth (trying many things) or depth
(examining a single path after making a commitment that
• Societies provide many opportunities for moratoria, such as
college or military school.
• It’s most common at about age 19
4. Identity Achievement o Erikson’s 4 Arenas of Identity Formation
• Very few adolescents totally reject religion if they’ve
grown up following a particular faith; partly because
religion provides meaning as well as coping skills
• 55% of U.S high school seniors in 2009 considered
religion “very” or “pretty” important.
• 20% considered religion not important
• Past parental practices influence religion identity; but
some teens express that identity in ways their parents
might not have anticipated
• Adolescents question specific beliefs as their cognitive
processes allow more reflection, but very few have a
crisis of faith unless unusual circumstances cause it.
• Parents also influence the political identity of an
• In the 21 century, party identification is weakening
among adults; because of this, their teenage children also
proudly say they do not care about politics.
• This apolitical stance is likely to continue in adulthood.
• Because voting rights occur at a young age, and because
the youth don’t necessarily understand the importance of
it, their votes depend more on their peers’ political views
• They have a tendency to vote for people of one’s own
race, religion, ethnicity or sex.
• Originally meant envisioning oneself as a worker in a
particular occupation. (Back when girls became mothers
and wives; not employees and most boys became farmers
or factory workers)
• Back then, they needed to have their lifetime career
decided by age 16, but obviously that is not the case
• Now, the belief is, no teenager can make a wise,
permanent choice among the tens of thousands of
• Doesn’t mean future goals are irrelevant. Adolescents are
more likely to be engaged in their education if they
believe they are learning valuable, necessary skills. • Specific vocational identity takes years to establish, but
wanting to become a selfsufficient adult with a steady
job motivates many young people.
• Parents believe that employment in teen years will keep
the teen out of trouble, but usually the opposite occurs.
• Working more than 20 hours during a school week tend
to quit school, fight with parents, smoke cigarettes and
hate their jobs (in adulthood as well)
• A few hours a week or during vacation is a good
• Achieving sexual identity is a lifelong task; mostly
because norms and attitudes shift over time.
• Increasing number of adults are single, gay or cohabiting;
creating new role models for teens.
• The words ‘sex’ and ‘sexual’ refer to biological
characteristics whereas ‘gender’ refers to the cultural and
• Gender Identity: a person’s selfdefinition as male or
• Gender identity often begins with the person’s biological
sex and leads to a gender role (one that society considers
appropriate for that gender)
Relationship with Others
Many people powerfully influence most teenagers.
Two most important being parents and peers.
These are not only impactful social influences, but each also affects the other.
When individuals have a supportive, affectionate relationship with their
parents, they tend to have similar relationships with their peers.
When they fight with their parents, they tend to fight with their peers (& vice
Parentadolescent relationships affect every aspect of the teen’s life.
Disputes are common because the adolescent’s drive for independence
(arising from biological as well as psychological impulses) clashes with
the parent’s desire to maintain control.
Bickering: petty, peevish arguing, usually repeated and ongoing,
Some bickering may indicate a healthy family, since close relationships
almost always include conflict.
One reason for conflict is that both generations misjudge the other. Parents think their offspring have more negative thoughts that they
actually do and children imagine much more intrusive control than the
With time, parents gradually grant more autonomy. By age 18, children
appreciate parents, who have learned to allow more independence.
Just like with kids, authoritative parenting is usually best for adolescents
than uninvolved parenting.
Even thought teens may say they don’t need their parents, neglect is
o Closeness within the Family: 4 concepts of family closeness
1. Communication (do family membe