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The process of identity really begins in the infancy, when the infant first recognizes the distinction between the self and external objects. As the child grows and deals with the challenges of life, the identity also changes according to it. However, adolescence represents a significant mile stone in the life span process of identity formation due to intellectual awareness of the major life transitions.
The psychologists define adolescence as a period for establishment of an identity. This concept has been strengthened by the theoretical formulations of Ericson. He identified eight developmental stages that range from infancy to old age. He describes this “Identity formation” as a process, due to fundamental physical and physiological changes, new social roles, hetero sexual interests and change in attitude towards, beliefs and values. He postulates that every adolescent is apt to go through some serious struggle one time or another before he reaches his mature identity.
Note: The development of identity is a gradual, cumulative and relatively peaceful process that begins in early adolescence and continues into young adulthood.
While Erikson’s theory identifies the developmental crisis of adolescence as “identity Vs role diffusion”, Marcia (1980) sub divides this particular stage into four distinct statuses: identity diffusion, foreclosure, Moratorium and Identity achievement.
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Marcia (1988) interviewed adolescents (males and females) and he defined the concept of identity in terms of two major characteristics. They are a crisis or a decision making period, commitment or the extent of personal investment in an occupation, a set of values or a political position.
In order to assess the presence of crisis and commitment he designed and administered a questionare or interview schedule, based on the result he described four types of possible identity statuses
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The criteria used to establish identity includes two variables: Crisis and commitment. Crisis refers to the adolescent’s period of engagement in choosing among meaningful alternatives; it is where as commitment refers to the degree of personal involvement the individual exhibits. It also refers to the stable investment in one’s beliefs with supportive activity.
Identity crisis is a sense of confusion about who one is and what one wants out of life and the ensuing effort to discover or find one’s self. An important task for adolescents is to bring together all the things they learned about themselves as students, sons, daughters, friends, workers and so on and begin to develop a sense of what they are and where they are is an identity.
One of the most important developmental tasks for adolescents is the formation of a sense of identity, defined as a sense of who one is, where one has been and where one is going in life. Developing a sense of personal identity prepares people to deal with the challenges that arise later in development. Adolescents expanding social world-a world of peers, school, work, and leisure and community involvements-provides motivation for developing a sense of identity (Erikson, 1968).
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