The development of one’s identity is an essential aspect of growth. Psychologist, James Marcia, greatly explored this concept and developed four identity statuses of development. Marcia's main idea on identity development is that one's sense of identity is determined by the choices and commitments made regarding social and personal traits. According to Marcia, the first stage of identity development is identity diffusion, which is when an individual has no sense of development or commitment. Individuals in this stage have not thought about their identity at all and just go along with whatever they are told. The second stage is identity foreclosure, which is when the adolescent seems to be willing to commit to some goals for the future. Teenagers
