Identity Development

Mead also talks about the meaning of “I” and “me” and the “generalized other” and their realization through the “play” and “game” stages of the development of self-consciousness. The development of self-concept is a process by which we incorporate the attitudes of others toward our self (Appelrouth and Edles, 2012). Our idea of who we are versus the rest

Since the moment one is born, until one’s life comes to a halting end, he or she is always in a quest to find his or her self. Clearly, the concept of self is rather complex. Humans are different entities, with varied views on the world, which is what makes the universe such an interesting place. Of course, people are born with certain characteristics that become the bases for who he or she is. Yet, the components that fall under the self, such as, self concept, self knowledge, self esteem continue to change. Interestingly enough, the self falls under a specific spectrum. When he or she is young, he or she can merely recognize him or herself. Therefore the self is lost. However when he or she begins school the self he or she fall under one of the two

According to Erikson, the development of the lifespan is a lifelong process from birth to death and includes the formation of identity (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). I will cover in the paper six life events that influence my identity development from childhood to middle adulthood. Each life event will be explained based on the significance of the event as well as the impact the event had on my development. Also, theories will be discussed as they relate to my development.

Who are you? What defines who you are? Why makes you who you are? What is your personal identity? Have you ever sat around pondering the meaning of life, or maybe just your life? Have you asked yourself any of these questions? What were your answers? These are questions that people have been trying to answer since the beginning of time, before me and you were ever born or thought of. People live their whole lives trying to figure out exactly who they are and what their purpose is in life. In the field of philosophy, many philosophers have had theories on personal identity and a person’s “self.” These people have gone down in history books for their theories on a person’s identity: John Locke and Rene’ Descartes. These are two of the most

The self is an ever-changing system of perspectives that is formed and sustained in communications with others and ourselves (Wood, 178). This definition emphasizes that the self is not static or fixed, but dynamic (Wood, 178). According to Wood (3013), “the term self is a singular noun , which implies it is a single entity, but yet there are many facets to the self” (p.178). You have a physical self that includes your height, weight, body type, abilities and disabilities, and the color of your skin, hair, and eyes (Wood, 178). You also have an emotional self that reflects how sensitive you are, whether you have a temper, and so forth (Wood, 178). Your cognitive self includes your intelligence and intellectual aptitudes (Wood, 178).

Nevertheless, a considerable amount of work (cf. Arena and Arrigo, 2006; Mead, 1967; Stryker, 1981) exists in terms of how the individual self-identity is a process which is learnt through

consciousness awareness of existing and a continuing sense of personality identity. The ego is the

Brown (2012) offers an explanation for the rise of secularisation being down to the focus on improving identity. Many individuals place no importance on community based religious practises or beliefs and would prefer to work on themselves. Brown (2012) describes the “growth of no religionism…those who classify themselves as without a religion” (p.35). He suggests that there is a rising demand for a “positive self-identity” and that religion may no longer be a priority in achieving that. When studying this Brown (2012) identified through the annual British Social Attitude Surveys (Britsocat.com, in Brown 2012) that in 2008, 43.2% of individuals classed themselves to have “no religion”.

Erik Erikson, a famous American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst stated that, “…in the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity” (Erik Erikson, 1968). A person’s identity defines who they are as an individual and as a member of society. There are a lot of factors that compose a person’s identity. Although my identity has been affected by many things, there are three key contributors that have been majorly influential on my development as an individual. Firstly, North American

I would use the striving for identity and relationship to others technique, so that the client and find a lead way to focus on the interesting things about herself rather than events that she did with her husband. Striving for identity and relationship to others is finding something interest about self. As described that the client lost her husband after 50 years, which can be difficult because the woman will feel some type of loneliness. If the client thinks about her husband, it may lead to depression. Striving for identity helps the client see the bigger picture, finding trust within them, and seeking their own answers to the conflicts in life. Clients think too much of what others think about them. For an elderly woman moving into a retirement

The word “identity” is an unclear concept; it debates a social category or distinguishable features. Identity development is the process through which individuals go through in life. Identity development is examined in various stages. These stages happen around different ages. In Erikson’s psychological identity development theory. He explains the eight stages through which identity is present during adolescent and early adulthood. His ideas were influenced by Freud’s theory. The eight stages of Identity development is more significant during childhood and adolescent to during an adult.

When introducing the concept of self-consciousness, it can be very difficult for individuals to understand that there are many forms of self-consciousness. Many already have a definition in mind as soon as they hear the word self-consciousness. It is made up of many concepts because it isn’t just a cognitive state, rather, many cognitive states. The mind processes many things as opposed to just knowing things. Humans are capable of doing and desiring many things while self-evaluating and questioning oneself. Everyone is able to consider their own actions and to think about themselves. When thinking, humans are able to consider ideas and depictions regarding the self and others. Regarding oneself allows for evaluating self-worth in refinement to common social roles (Bermudez).

Human being is complicated creature, and it is very different from any other animals in the world. What makes I become myself is a combination of all the factor about me. It includes my body, my experience, my knowledge, my thoughts, and it goes on and on. Some of these factors determine who I am while others have little effect of self. In Descartes’ Mediation, he defines himself as a “thinking thing”, which emphasizes the importance of thoughts. There are many other philosophers who have different definition of self. In my opinions, self is first a combination of body and mind; they determine the existence of me. Besides, my every experience fill me in and change me day by day.

He explains that the preparatory stage is when children imitate people around them (especially family members who the continuously interact with). Monkey see monkey do.

Moving onto, the self-concept theory which focuses on one’s self-beliefs, preferences, opinions and attitudes [1] all to fit one’s personal being. In psychology it is seen to be very complex as every individual has a very different personalities, it is to say that sometimes we do not understand what is going on inside of us [1]. Rene Descartes had made the primitive discovery that in the self-concept theory suggested that a persona existence depended on how that person perceives himself or herself to the world. Sigmund Freud who is a renowned psychologists whose work converge on theories that proposed an argument about our intellectual process. Freud concept postulates that we hold three main aspects within us, such as the