One the most influencial theories of personality in psychology is that of Erik Erickson’s psychosocial development theory. Similar to Sigmund Freud, Erickson believed that individual personality is developed in a series of stages. In contrast to Freud’s theory of psychosexual stages, Erickson’s theory describes the influence of social experiences across the entire lifespan and not focused on sexuality or interactions thereof. Erickson introduced eight successive psychosocial stages, each associated with a conflict or crisis that one must contend with and resolve successfully to move forward in development. Erickson’s psychosocial stage 5, “Identity vs Role Confusion,” is exceedingly represented in the movie “The Breakfast Club.”
Erickson describes adolescence as a period of time when it is normal to have a crisis. According to the Graduate Journal of Counseling Psychology, “ It is worth noting that Erickson (1968) used the term crisis “in a developmental sense to connote more a threat of catastrophe, but a turning point, a crucial period of increased vulnerability and heightened potential” (Sokol, 2009, page 2). Erickson’s theory of Psychosocial Development introduced in “The Breakfast Club” clearly displays the search for identity and struggle through role confusion in each character presented. Adolescence is the transition between childhood and adulthood. Biological developments lead to psychological, social, and economic changes during this time, in hopes of creating an increased sense of independence. This is a critical time in one's lifespan where a sense of identity is formed by questioning the relationships with parents, peers, and expectations of society. They begin to explore their uniqueness, personalities, futures, and relationships. The beginning of the movie portrays a clear sense of role and identity confusion. Five adolescents are introduced, each from a different gamut of the adolescent social scene: “The Princess”, Claire Standish; “The Criminal”, John Bender; “The Jock”, Andrew Carr; “ The Brain”, Brian Johnson, and “The Basket Case”, Allison Reynolds. Mr. Vernon, the principal, begins the Saturday detention, asking each to write an essay, no less that a thousand words, describing who they think they are. Understanding Erickson’s “identity vs role confusion” explains the initial response from Bender. “Dear Mr. Vernon... we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention …show more content…
As detention began, Brian clearly indicates that his life goals, values, and priorities were based on the expectations of his parents. He indicates that in his household, an “A” is the only option. He describes a time in which he received an “F” in shop because he could not make the lamp come on. His project was to create an elephant lamp, pull the trunk to turn the light on but he was unable to get the light to come on. At this point, he contemplated suicide. Suicide is ending one's own life and at this time his life was his parent’s expectations not his. Brian is constantly looking for acceptance from the popular crowd, or anyone, but can never seem to find it. During the crisis of being in detention, Brian begins to understand that self-acceptance is more important than that from others. By the end of the movie, Brian is the one who questions everyone and who they are. This is a critical moment in the movie as everyone portrays a sense of self-acceptance. Brian went from “When I look at myself, you know? And I see me… I don’t really like what I see, I really don’t” to accepting who he is and liking who he sees
Erickson describes adolescence as a period of time when it is normal to have a crisis. According to the Graduate Journal of Counseling Psychology, “ It is worth noting that Erickson (1968) used the term crisis “in a developmental sense to connote more a threat of catastrophe, but a turning point, a crucial period of increased vulnerability and heightened potential” (Sokol, 2009, page 2). Erickson’s theory of Psychosocial Development introduced in “The Breakfast Club” clearly displays the search for identity and struggle through role confusion in each character presented. Adolescence is the transition between childhood and adulthood. Biological developments lead to psychological, social, and economic changes during this time, in hopes of creating an increased sense of independence. This is a critical time in one's lifespan where a sense of identity is formed by questioning the relationships with parents, peers, and expectations of society. They begin to explore their uniqueness, personalities, futures, and relationships. The beginning of the movie portrays a clear sense of role and identity confusion. Five adolescents are introduced, each from a different gamut of the adolescent social scene: “The Princess”, Claire Standish; “The Criminal”, John Bender; “The Jock”, Andrew Carr; “ The Brain”, Brian Johnson, and “The Basket Case”, Allison Reynolds. Mr. Vernon, the principal, begins the Saturday detention, asking each to write an essay, no less that a thousand words, describing who they think they are. Understanding Erickson’s “identity vs role confusion” explains the initial response from Bender. “Dear Mr. Vernon... we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention …show more content…
As detention began, Brian clearly indicates that his life goals, values, and priorities were based on the expectations of his parents. He indicates that in his household, an “A” is the only option. He describes a time in which he received an “F” in shop because he could not make the lamp come on. His project was to create an elephant lamp, pull the trunk to turn the light on but he was unable to get the light to come on. At this point, he contemplated suicide. Suicide is ending one's own life and at this time his life was his parent’s expectations not his. Brian is constantly looking for acceptance from the popular crowd, or anyone, but can never seem to find it. During the crisis of being in detention, Brian begins to understand that self-acceptance is more important than that from others. By the end of the movie, Brian is the one who questions everyone and who they are. This is a critical moment in the movie as everyone portrays a sense of self-acceptance. Brian went from “When I look at myself, you know? And I see me… I don’t really like what I see, I really don’t” to accepting who he is and liking who he sees