Identity vs. Role Confusion Essay - 892 Words

In today’s Western society, self-identity and social roles are important dimensions that are at times challenging to face. Social roles have always been a fundamental part of society and yet as time goes on, it seems to be increasingly difficult to understand. As discussed in class, in the medieval period, people were assigned roles based on family status. In modern days, however, societal roles have expanded and opportunities are endless, which raises the question: Is there more uncertainty about identity in modern society? In entering adolescence, people heavily contemplate their ego identity. In the early 1900s, theorist Erik Erikson believed in eight stages of ego development from birth to death. For the purpose of this paper I have†¦show more content†¦Exploring different aspects of yourself in the different areas of life has never been so pertinent. As previously mentioned, there has undoubtedly been a shift of roles when comparing the past to the present. Tradi tionally speaking, men and women’s roles have been that of providers and nurturers respectively. Although through time, these traditional mentalities have transformed, allowing for more possibilities. Even though men’s roles have altered, women have emancipated themselves from a very narrow view of appropriate social norms and can now enjoy the freedom to choose from an array of roles. The quest for self-identity is very significant in this time of my life, which is the reason I have chosen this topic for my project. I am a definite opportunist and I seize every occasion if the possibility of learning something new arises. Although it is very exciting to experience moratorium, it is also at times stressful and daunting having to continuously explore different roles and opportunities. Along with my peers, I am attempting to resolve many existential dilemmas such as â€Å"What career path should I follow?† or â€Å"What roles apply to me?† These questions g ive rise to the feeling of identity uncertainty and role confusion. Coming from an art background, I felt most comfortable expressing myself through sketch. Therefore, I chose to convey my internal struggles through a drawing of a ballerina who is surrounded by my inner thoughts. TheShow MoreRelatedErikson’s Theory: Identity vs. Role Confusion1222 Words   |  5 Pagesabout identity versus role confusion. Finding one’s identity is not always an easy task. Everyone at some point in his or her life has had, as Erikson puts it, an identity crisis. Everyone experiences different struggles that can have either a positive or negative impact on their identity. On my path to identity, I have reached identity achievement, which means I have explored and made commitments. I will also be focusing on two articles highlighting a fifth possible outcome regarding identity andRead MoreCharacter Analysis : Claire Standish 1549 Words   |  7 PagesClaire Standish, the prom queen, fit s into Identity vs. Role Confusion, Conventional Morality, and the Moratorium stage. Starting with Kohlberg’s Moral Development, Claire fits into the Conventional Morality stage. Claire is the most popular girl in their high school and is constantly surrounded by many friends. Bender even goes as far as to say, â€Å"School would probably shut down if you didn’t show up!† Claire agrees with this statement and when talking to Alison later in the movie she says, â€Å"YoureRead MoreErickson888 Words   |  4 Pagesdespair must both be understood and embraced, in order for actionable wisdom to emerge as a viable solution at the last stage. The Erikson life-stage virtues, in order of the eight stages in which they may be acquired, are: 1.Basic trust vs. basic mistrust - This stage covers the period of infancy. 0-1 year of age. - Whether or not the baby develops basic trust or basic mistrust is not merely a matter of nurture. It is multi-faceted and has strong social components. It depends on the qualityRead MoreLiterature Review. Sigmund Freud, The Father Of Psychoanalysis,1497 Words   |  6 Pagescompetencies valued and needed by an individual’s society (Berk, 2014). Berk (2014) lists in order from birth to old age, the stages follow as: basic trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. shame and doubt, initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, identity vs. role confusion, intimacy vs. isolation, generativity vs. stagnation, and integrity vs. despair. Each of Erikson’s stages includes the possible negative outcomes that one could possibly be faced with, depending on the experiences they have duringRead MoreErickson: The Stages of Development954 Words   |  4 Pagessteps that focused on the changing of personality and developing your identity. Erickson developments stages differed from Freuds because Erickson focused on social environment and not sexual drives. Erickson believed that each stage in a person life that have to over come a psychosocial crisis and also learn a new skill. The stages took place through out your lifespan (Funder, 1997). Stage one of Erickson development is trust vs. mistrust. This stage happens at 0-18 months. this stage infants developsRead MoreErik Erikson s Theory Of Psychology760 Words   |  4 Pageshad blond hair, blue eyes, and Nordic looks. Thus, he was teased for having Nordic looks in the community. On the other hand, he was teased at the grammar school for being a Jewish. Erik struggled with his identity and had difficulties not fitting in with either culture. In this way, Erik’s identity crisis began at an early age. Erikson was inspired by the psychosexual theory of Sigmund Freud. In this theory, Freud described development in series of five different stages. He called these stages, oralRead MoreErikson s Theory And How It Affects My Life969 Words   |  4 Pageslife Erik Erikson created a theory, in which he created eight stages of development based on Freud’s theory of development. The eight stages are trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. shame and doubt, initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, ego identity vs. role confusion, intimacy vs. isolation, generativity vs. stagnation, and ego integrity vs. despair. As someone develops in age, going through these stages, it increases in complexity. Erikson believed that each stage becomes a crisis that needsRead MoreAnalysis Of Eric Eriksons Eight Stages Of Identity Theory1423 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Identity or Self-concept is something that evolves or matures right along with us; it changes from physical concepts to more complex thoughts. (Damon Hart, 1988) Questions like Who am I? and What is my Purpose? Have perplexed humanities greatest philosophers; the complexity of these questions has even created a study of purpose; Teleology, the study of purpose. John Locke held that personal identity is a matter of psychological continuity. He considered the self to be founded on consciousnessRead MoreErickson s Theory On The 8 Stages Of Development Essay1143 Words   |  5 PagesFreud (Erickson 2016). Erickson’s theory on the 8 stages of development are based around three parts of identity: social identity, personal identity (the differences between one person and another) and the identity of self. Freud exemplifies the conflict between id (the instinctive component of personality) and the superego (morals of society that are learned), whilst Erickson focuses on the role of culture and society, and the conflicts it can create in the ego itself (McLeod, 2013; McLeod, 2016)Read MoreTheory Of Kalief Browder1324 Words   |  6 Pagesstage 5 Identity vs Role Confusion, of Erikson’s theory of social-emotional development. This stage occurs between the ages of 12 and 26. During this time, society expects adolescents to be responsible and are held accountable like adults. Though Browder did not commit the crime he was accused of he was held accountable like an adult and received the same punishments. Also noted, adolescents are beginning to define who they are by experimenting with various roles. During this time, they need role models