Introduction
The difficulty in studying of adolescence is the determining of the period itself. Identity is an even more difficult term to determine than is adolescence. Identity is defined as existential position to an inner organization of needs, abilities and self-perceptions to a sociopolitical stance. Identity also called a "sense" an "attitude" a "resolution" and so on. Studying identity in adolescence is not a task for the methodologically hypersensitive.
Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory of Personality Development:
Erik Erikson (1968) emphasizes the concept of identity or an inner sense of sameness that perseveres through external changes, identity crises, and identity confusion in the dynamic of personality development. He posits that …show more content…
role confusion. The main character Cady is new at school and is searching for where she belongs. She has never had to question her identity due to her home schooling. Cady is a transfer student from Africa. She has never been to a public high school and is not yet accustomed to the typical American life-style. Cady has adopted the values and lifestyle of her parents. Throughout this movie, one can see all the different ways teenagers identify themselves, such as jocks, nerds, band geeks, or “the plastics.” If you watch this movie, you see that Cady herself struggles to find her identity with “the plastics” and her real friends. Cady becomes friends with the two seen in the movie. While trying to fit in, she pretends to be a popular girl (the "plastics"), but actually starts to let it affect her personality and personal …show more content…
Changes in hormones, cognitive abilities, and the desire for a personal identity all contribute to the complexity of this transitional period. The Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development (1996) discovered that today’s adolescents face greater challenges, pressures, and dangers than adolescents from past generations. The world is changing, and it is up to today’s counselors to remain ahead of the curve when it pertains to how we view our clients. Traditionally, an existential approach has been reserved for either wealthy and/or older clientele (McDougall, 1995). Recent research has shown that individuals from all walks of life and all ages encounter existential crises; thus, making an existential lens a viable way of looking at the human condition (Eleftheriadou, 2002). Adolescents could clearly benefit from a similar style. Though a contradiction in terms, adolescents strive for a sense of belonging to a group, while at the same time establishing autonomy in the eyes of their evaluators and peers. Existential issues such as hopelessness, meaninglessness, despair, and isolation may be quite evident in adolescence (Hacker, 1994) with defenses such as denial, reaction formation, and over-identification balancing their needs (Hanna et al., 1999). All adolescents need room to grow and safe places to test their developing selves (Broderick & Blewitt,
The difficulty in studying of adolescence is the determining of the period itself. Identity is an even more difficult term to determine than is adolescence. Identity is defined as existential position to an inner organization of needs, abilities and self-perceptions to a sociopolitical stance. Identity also called a "sense" an "attitude" a "resolution" and so on. Studying identity in adolescence is not a task for the methodologically hypersensitive.
Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory of Personality Development:
Erik Erikson (1968) emphasizes the concept of identity or an inner sense of sameness that perseveres through external changes, identity crises, and identity confusion in the dynamic of personality development. He posits that …show more content…
role confusion. The main character Cady is new at school and is searching for where she belongs. She has never had to question her identity due to her home schooling. Cady is a transfer student from Africa. She has never been to a public high school and is not yet accustomed to the typical American life-style. Cady has adopted the values and lifestyle of her parents. Throughout this movie, one can see all the different ways teenagers identify themselves, such as jocks, nerds, band geeks, or “the plastics.” If you watch this movie, you see that Cady herself struggles to find her identity with “the plastics” and her real friends. Cady becomes friends with the two seen in the movie. While trying to fit in, she pretends to be a popular girl (the "plastics"), but actually starts to let it affect her personality and personal …show more content…
Changes in hormones, cognitive abilities, and the desire for a personal identity all contribute to the complexity of this transitional period. The Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development (1996) discovered that today’s adolescents face greater challenges, pressures, and dangers than adolescents from past generations. The world is changing, and it is up to today’s counselors to remain ahead of the curve when it pertains to how we view our clients. Traditionally, an existential approach has been reserved for either wealthy and/or older clientele (McDougall, 1995). Recent research has shown that individuals from all walks of life and all ages encounter existential crises; thus, making an existential lens a viable way of looking at the human condition (Eleftheriadou, 2002). Adolescents could clearly benefit from a similar style. Though a contradiction in terms, adolescents strive for a sense of belonging to a group, while at the same time establishing autonomy in the eyes of their evaluators and peers. Existential issues such as hopelessness, meaninglessness, despair, and isolation may be quite evident in adolescence (Hacker, 1994) with defenses such as denial, reaction formation, and over-identification balancing their needs (Hanna et al., 1999). All adolescents need room to grow and safe places to test their developing selves (Broderick & Blewitt,