What Role Do Relationships Play In Shaping A Person's Identity

Identity is a group of characteristics, data or information that belongs exactly to one person or a group of people and that make it possible to establish differences between them. The consciousness that people have about themselves is part of their identity as well as what makes them unique. According to psychologists, identity is a consistent definition of one’s self as a unique individual, in terms of role, attitudes, beliefs and aspirations. Identity tries to define who people are, what they are, where they go or what they want to be or to do. Identity could depend on self-knowledge, self-esteem, or the ability of individuals to achieve their goals. Through self-analysis people can define who they are and who the people around them

Our identity is comprised of inner qualities and outer representations of self. It consists of innumerable defining characteristics that make up the whole of who we are in any given moment. These fragments of self include our sexuality, gender, and sense of belonging to a particular culture, nation, religion, family, or some other group. Our identity includes our looks, personality, beliefs and fears. Each individual in society assigns themselves a particular role, whether it be as a mother, brother, retiree, performer, sportsman or as a part of their occupation, a doctor or lawyer. Often one’s entire sense of self is consumed by

Outside influences have a strong capability to influence and alter our personal identity. Both directly and indirectly, the social contexts in which we live can change the way we think and feel, and by extension how we interact with other people and places. Immediate family, friendship groups and the physical environment are all factors which contribute to our ever changing perceptions of ourselves. Sometimes personal identity can be subtly reshaped over a gradual time frame, as our sense of who we are is modified without personal recognition that we are changing. At other times we may be able to notice our personal identity changing, through important life decisions.

More than ever in this society as children find the need to belong or fit in to the popular crowd in school for acceptance they often tend to mimic their friends behaviors. This is often a result of the individual child trying to find him or herself. The results however, are not always negative. In fact, there are some positive results that may occur as a result of copying their peers. Simply stated, “When teens surround themselves with people who make good decisions and who are involved with positive activities and choices, it makes the adolescent child want to be better” (Stock, 2010 pg.2). Positive peers influence adolescents and can drive the child toward improved confidence, and improved grades in school. Inversely, the same can be said for the adolescent child who decides that he or she wants to be like his or her friends who have a negative influence. Children who fall into this category are those that are of the bandwagon philosophy. Those negatively impacted by peers often show signs of lower grades in school, increased distance from family. In fact, “peer pressure can lead to experimentation with drugs and alcohol, and various high risks behaviors” (Fact Sheets, 2009 pg.1). The changes in the adolescent child can have lasting effects depending on which type of peer influences that child may be surrounded by. The negative impact of peer pressure can be strong; however there are also positive influences.

Identity is a socially and historically constructed concept. An individual learns about their own identity through interactions with family, peers, organizations, media, and educational institutions. Education and identity are two closely related topics. On average, most Americans will spend a fourth of their life in educational institutions. During this time period students are growing and maturing, but most importantly they are discovering themselves. Students realize their qualities, determine their morals, and establish their beliefs during this time of instruction. Undoubtedly, education forms and challenges a person’s identity throughout the years.

Your peers teach you cooperation and to deal with conflict and competition with others. I think all agents of socialization are equally as important but your peers can have a positive or negative influence on a persons life. In the article, Peer Pressure Is a Risk for Adolescents, it states that, "Relative to adults, adolescents are more susceptible to the influence of their peers in risky situations." An article that relates to this is, “Peer Pressure Influences Gang Behavior”. It talks about how peers are pressuring kids to commit crimes and join gangs. In this story it specifically talks about a boy named Hubert who lives in the inner city of North Minneapolis. His mother is a single mom who is trying to show her kids self discipline and moral values. Hubert was an obedient child but him and his family lived in a low-income drug and gang infested area. Hubert was a good child who had a good school attendance record but he could not escape the poverty surrounding him, he started experiencing pressure from his peers everyday. According to this article, it states, “Peer pressure is one of the most influential predicaments a youth might encounter. Hubert wanted to please his mother and they had non-material items, this poverty lead Hubert to start shoplifting to help his mother so she did not have to work so hard. His more fortunate peers had started teasing him about his clothing and it began to bother Hubert causing him steal to have the material

A person’s identity is shaped by many different aspects. Family, culture, friends, personal interests and surrounding environments are all factors that tend to help shape a person’s identity. Some factors may have more of an influence than others and some may not have any influence at all. As a person grows up in a family, they are influenced by many aspects of their life. Family and culture may influence a person’s sense of responsibilities, ethics and morals, tastes in music, humor and sports, and many other aspects of life. Friends and surrounding environments may influence a person’s taste in clothing, music, speech, and social activities. Personal interests are what truly set individuals apart. An individual is not a puppet

Through the social connections of individuality and affiliation, we become who we are known as. Primarily, we start life with the influence of our elders. By the time we reach puberty, social awareness comes into play, and our own sense of originality takes flight with what we hear, see and touch and this, in turn, forms our connection with society. In sequence with this, our affiliation with friends and family form the backdrop of our existence, while our originality as an individual configures our personality. “Relationships

Our identity can sometimes be shaped by the way others see us. As we have seen, the way in which others view us can have some sort of impact on how we see ourselves. There are also other contributing factors such as our years of adolescence, the basic human need of wanting to belong and maturing; all play an equally important part in the forming of our character and who we are. On balance it appears that there is not only one influence in the shaping of our identity, but there are many.

If a cricket jumps into a swimming pool full of noodles, it would seem like there are noodles everywhere. Some days might seem better than others, but that’s how life goes. For people, relationships are kind of like noodles. Relationships are everywhere. Whether it be with a friend, a teacher, or even a parent. They are everywhere. And it doesn't just have to be on a screen to show a relationship. But they can be. And in books, too. And in the book Maniac Magee, (by Jerry Spinelli) the main character Maniac is influenced by a lot of relationships that him and the other characters have. Relationships play a vast role in shaping an individual.

(IC) When a teenager starts conflicts with family members that is when you notice a change in persona. When a teenager is friends with exceptional people and they start acting differently it is noticeable. (SP) According to Tara Parker Pope, “ The findings suggest that teenage peer pressure has a distinct effect on brain signals involving risk and reward, helping to explain why young people are more likely to misbehave and take risks when their friends are watching.” (FC) In simpler words, this research states that although friends and family are affected by the behavior , friends can in fact peer pressuring the teen and that's why they are behaving differently. Those affected could also be the reason why, the teenager is

All throughout our lives, we wrestle with the question of who am I and what do I want in life? However, it is usually during the adolescent years that this issue really comes to a head and we begin a more earnest search into finding ourselves and deciding the direction we want to take with our lives. One of the theorists who studied this idea of identity formation was James Marcia. Marcia proposed that there were four different stages or statuses in the development of identity which he labeled Identity Diffusion, Identity Foreclosure, Identity Moratorium, and Identity Achievement. In this essay, we will briefly summarize his four different stages and then apply his theory to my own identity development during the adolescent years.

Young people are facing more pressure to fit in socially and is causing their self-identity to diminish. In particular, adolescents are adopting new personas, so they can fit into what is so-called culturally acceptable in modern-day society due to third-party influences. One obvious negative concern is that lacking qualities in parent-adolescent relationships can cause narcissism. Additionally, conformity has caused individuals to follow the actions of others even if the situations are damaging to avoid criticism. In conjunction, peer pressure causes people to act or behave a certain way, even if they believe it is morally wrong in an effort to fit

Your peers are the people with whom you identify and spend time. In children and teens, they are usually, but not always, of the same age group. In adults, peers may be determined less by age and more by shared interests or professions. Peer pressure occurs when an individual experiences implied or expressed persuasion to adopt similar values, beliefs, and goals, or to participate in the same activities as those in the peer group.

We all have been young adolescents before and experienced all the things junior high and high school has to offer. Being a teenager is something everyone has or will experience in our life times. Teenagers go through a crucial time in their lives where they really figure out who they are and how to make more adult decisions. Peer pressure has always been a regular part of teenage life. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry state's “Peers play a large role in the social and emotional development of children and adolescents. Their influence begins at an early age and increases through the teenage years. It is natural, healthy and important for children to have and rely on friends as they grow and