Psychologist Erikson is best known for his theory concerning the social development of people as well as the commonly used phrase ‘identity crisis’. His theory of human development is description of eight stages through which a healthy human being develops through from their infancy all the way to adulthood. In the course of their development, the person will encounter and possibly master new challenges. The successful building of one stage is dependent on the person’s success in the previous stage so that stages not completed successfully could reflect in the person’s future life (Kagitcibasi, 2005). This paper is a synopsis on the discussions and observations made when examining the development at a teenage age.
The adolescent stage in a person’s life reflects a time when the human being is transiting from childhood to young adulthood. As a result, there are certain social and psychological factors in play when determining the nature of life for the individual at this stage. Erikson considered that the average adolescent between the ages of twelve to eighteen is undergoing a stage known as ego-identity versus role-confusion stage. This is a period in one’s life between the onset of one’s puberty and full commitment to becoming an adult. Most individuals at this stage are neither child, nor are they occupying an adult role such as working, parenting or exercising civic duties. Erikson notes that this period is when one is forming their social identity and discovering their moral purpose (Dishion, Poulin, & Medici Skaggs, 2000). While this is a transition into adulthood, thirty-five percent of individuals at this stage can already reason formally into their adulthood (Feldman & Wood, 1994). It is also during this stage when the adolescent will experience questions within themselves such as who they are or who they want to become. Like a stage of being a toddler, adolescents will often explore the limits, want to become autonomous and give themselves over to an identity or a secured feeling of self. At the same time, role confusion may occur as a result of the inability to choose vocations. Different choices made during this age, including the choice of friends, could influence success outcomes for individuals.
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For this project, I chose to study high school students at a local high school for the social, psychological and behavioral characteristics forming the development stage of adolescents to confirm the characteristics as compared to Erikson’s theory. The observation was conducted for five days when the teenagers were in groups, singularly as well as in personal interviews. Based on the reading from the class, the investigation was able to give results that will be outlined in this paper. The synopsis equally compares the findings of the investigation with existing literature on the subject.
Adolescent Development Psychology
Research has shown that neuro-biological processes are involved in making an adolescent become a risk taker which largely influences their behavior. This was a behavior largely displayed during the time of my observation as well as during interviews. Research shows that adolescents are built around four main psychosocial tasks: to stand out; to fit in; to measure up and to take hold (Brown, Clasen, & Eicher, 1986). To stand out speaks of the adolescent’s ability to develop an identity and pursue an autonomous life. Fitting in suggests peer influence where the adolescents seeks acceptance from others. To measure up suggests a need to become competent as an achiever, while to take hold suggests the need to make commitments towards certain beliefs, ideas and activities. This research informed the first part of the observations where the first day was based on. During this day, the investigation sought to determine ways in which these points could be applicable in real-life situations.
It was noted that specific groups of people would sit together or walk together during lunch. People who considered themselves of similar affiliations often walked together during these times. For example, sports participants would be walking together or wearing their jackets, avid readers would also be clustered together. It was noted that the majority of individuals often walked together in a similar group of people so that the aspect of fitting in was noted. Within the groups, there was always one who stands out. Mostly this would be considered the leader in the group with others seemingly doing their bidding. This shows the characteristic to stand out even from among peers. The investigation also yielded that most students had a particular activity, club, or belief that they identified themselves with. Here, there was a display of religion, sports commitment, learning achievement or some form of commitment that was displayed.
With regards to these four psychosocial tasks, different outlooks were obtained by the students. It was noted that the occurrence of positive or negative behavior was dependent on the successful achievement of the tasks. Research shows that adolescents can choose to turn to risky behavior as a result of failing to cope with one or more of the tasks (Reyna & Rivers, 2008). School bullies, for example, exercised their need to stand out excessively so that they would like to dominate others. Moreover, they could also inspire a negative need to fit in as other adolescents join them to avoid becoming victims. Nonetheless, one will notice that their coming together could signify that the groups surrounding the bully are equally having similar psychosocial problems to the bully.
During observation and interviewing, the development of identity was also critically investigated. Research notes that this process is key to the individual psychological development process. The task of identity is associated with distancing oneself from others to form a clear picture of who one is. Furthermore, the individual separates themselves so that they can know who they would like to become. In a successful self-identifying phase, the individual has reduced risk-taking abilities. On the other hand, individuals with a diffuse identity state are normally associated with risk-taking behavior such as alcohol and drug use as well as bullying. To prove this point, the study went ahead to ask different students about their identity with specifity being on college education. The investigation assumed that a student aiming to go to college would have sufficient personal identity to answer the questions we asked. The aim was to determine if there was a relationship between college education and risk-taking behavior. College education was supposed to give the study an insight into the personal discovery of the individual.
In the study, we found that most students who wanted to go to college and knew what they wanted to become after college were less engaged in risk-taking behavior. Such adolescents were less involved sexually, attained higher grades in school, were less involved in alcohol and drug use and were regular attendees in school. On the other hand, students who wanted to go to college but did not know what they wanted to do or become in a reasonable time in the future were more involved in risk taking behavior. The students would indulge in binge drinking (where they were overage), would be indulging in sexual behavior, drug and alcohol use among other forms of risk behavior.
Those with a diffuse identity sense would draw their identity from the social world they live in and primarily respond to themselves how others respond to them. This was displayed by a need to be noticed based on one’s sense of fashion, car or other materials for this group of people. Often, if one was described as ‘cool’, they were satisfied with their living. However, individuals with a sense of self identity often were not described as ‘cool’. Nonetheless, they were in constant control of their self-identity and in contact with themselves regularly. They were less prone to risk taking behavior.
In conclusion, a study into the high school environment has offered insight into the psychosocial development of adolescents. Through the analysis of research and adequate quantitative study, relationships between literature and the situation on the ground was found. Ego-identity and role-confusion aspects of adolescent growth were properly explored and evidenced.
References
Brown, B. B., Clasen, D. R., & Eicher, S. A. (1986). Perceptions of peer pressure, peer conformity dispositions, and self-reported behavior among adolescents. Developmental psychology, 22(4) , 521.
Dishion, T. J., Poulin, F., & Medici Skaggs, N. (2000). The ecology of premature autonomy in adolescence: Biological and social influences. Family and peers: Linking two social worlds , 27-45.
Feldman, S. S., & Wood, D. N. (1994). Parents' expectations for preadolescent sons' behavioral autonomy: A longitudinal study of correlates and outcomes. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 4(1) , 45-70.
Kagitcibasi, C. (2005). Autonomy and relatedness in cultural context implications for self and family. Journal of cross-cultural psychology, 36(4) , 403-422.
Reyna, V. F., & Rivers, S. E. (2008). Current theories of risk and rational decision making. Developmental review: DR, 28(1) , 1.
