CHAPTER 12 ADOLESCENCE1
1 The self, identity and
religious/spiritual development
LO 12.1 Discuss self, identity and religious/spiritual
development in adolescence.
Self-esteemSome researchers have found that self-esteem declines in early adolescence for
both boys and girls, but the drop for girls is greater. Other researchers caution that
these declines are often exaggerated and actually are small. Self-esteem reflects
perceptions that do not always match reality. Thus, high self-esteem may be
justified or it might reflect an arrogant, grandiose view of one’s self that is not
warranted. Controversy characterises whether today’s adolescents and emerging
adults are more narcissistic than their counterparts in earlier generations.
IdentityIdentity development is complex and is done in bits and pieces. Erikson argues
that identity versus identity confusion is the fifth stage of the human life span,
which individuals experience during adolescence. A psychosocial moratorium
during adolescence allows the personality and role experimentation that are
important aspects of identity development. James Marcia proposed four identity
statuses—identity diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium and achievement—that are
based on crisis (exploration) and commitment. Increasingly, experts argue the
main changes in identity occur in emerging adulthood rather than adolescence.
Individuals often follow moratorium-achievement-moratorium-achievement
(MAMA) cycles in their lives. Throughout the world, ethnic minority groups have
struggled to maintain their identities while blending into the majority culture.
Religious and
spiritual
development
Many adolescents show an interest in religious and spiritual development. As part
of their search for identity, many adolescents and emerging adults begin to
grapple with more complex aspects of religion. Various aspects of religion are
linked with positive outcomes in adolescent development.
In middle and late childhood, development of self-understanding and understanding others becomes
more sophisticated, emotional understanding improves and moral reasoning advances. In Erikson’s
view, children now are in the industry versus inferiority stage with their industry reflected in an
interest in building things and figuring out how things work. Children now spend more time with
peers, but parents continue to play important roles in their development, especially in guiding their
academic achievement and managing their opportunities. Peer status and friendship become more
important in children’s peer relations and school takes on a stronger academic focus.
self-esteem is the overall way we evaluate ourselves.
narcissism A self-centred and self-concerned approach towards others.
What is identity? Identity is a self-portrait composed of many pieces, including these:
•the career and work path the person wants to follow (vocational/career identity)
•how a person votes and whether they are conservative or left-leaning in their politics
(political identity)
•the person’s spiritual beliefs (religious identity)
•whether the person is single, partnered, divorced and so on (relationship identity)
•the extent to which the person is motivated to achieve and is intellectual (achievement,
intellectual identity)
•whether the person is heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual (sexual identity)
•which part of the world or country a person is from and how intensely the person identifies