Adolescence: Theories about Self-Identity PDF

C99CL – Cognition across the Lifespan Adolescence: Theories about Self-Identity​ C99CL - Week 03 – Lecture 06  So Far… Week 1: How sensory memory, WM, and LTM encode and process (younger years). WM shows developmental trends in primary school years = active/can be trained.​...

C99CL – Cognition across the Lifespan Adolescence: Theories about Self-Identity​ C99CL - Week 03 – Lecture 06  So Far… Week 1: How sensory memory, WM, and LTM encode and process (younger years). WM shows developmental trends in primary school years = active/can be trained.​ Week 2: Reading difficulties/interventions in the classroom​ Sound categorisation (Bradley & Bryant)​ Memory (Gathercole & Baddeley)​ Comprehension (Oakhill et al.)​ inference​ grasping structure of text/threads of story​ monitoring understanding (metacognition)​ Comprehension also linked to developmental changes in​ memory automisation, memory organisation, memory retrieval strategies​ Week 3 so far: Adolescence what changes? Neuro and cognitive changes​ White matter increases, development of hypothetical thinking​ FREUDIAN THEORY Freudian Theory Five stages of development​ Oral (0-1)​ Anal (1-3)​ Phallic (3-5)​ Latency (5-12/13)​ Genital (13+) signifies the onset of adolescence​ The Libido (pleasure urge) ‘changes location’ within the body over the course of development.​  i.e., the changing location of the libido Freudian theory results in a concentration of energy in localized body zones. A ‘concentration’ of such energy results in tension if that energy cannot be released. The release of tension is possible if stimulation is applied to the area of the body where the energy - in this case the libido - is located. Where in adolescence? According to Freud, the genital area. Freudian theory So what happens during adolescence? Adolescence has two primary tasks: replacement of pre-genital - immature/childhood - drives with genital primacy i.e., sexuality becomes the major force influencing behaviour and development resolution of Oedipal conflicts i.e., a detachment from parents and the establishment of mature sexual relations with others (called ‘object loss’ and ‘object finding’) The role of the ego The role of ‘Ego’ in achieving these two primary tasks of adolescence Ego development = development of an ‘ideal’ self The job of ‘ego’ is to ‘control’ sexual tension in such a way as is socially and personally acceptable. The ‘ego’ must find a balance between often competing drives: the ‘id’ demands sexual gratification the ‘superego’ demands attention to morality The role of the ego  Ego and adolescence​  Freudian theory Adolescence is dominated by sexual drives. Thus sexuality - ‘located’ in the genitals - dominates a person’s being. This inevitably alters the relationship between the id/ego/superego. The problem is in resolving the danger of connecting newfound drives with previous love objects (i.e., parents, siblings), which demands changes in personality. To do this, the adolescent must ‘discard’ former love objects and distance themselves from them. Freudian theory Broken Ties? In distancing themselves from parents, adolescents also reject their parents’ belief system, attitudes, morality - things they formerly shared. New belief systems must be acquired. New ‘ideals’ are typically found amongst peers. Peer group members are likely to ‘understand’ more than parents. Peer groups also provide a setting in which newfound sexual drives (and confusions) might be played out/discussed/resolved. ERIKSON’S THEORY Erikson Erikson’s ‘stage’ theory built on Freud’s earlier contentions.​ Emphasis more on psychosocial development rather than psychosexual development.​ Prior to adolescence, an individual will hopefully have a well-developed sense of who he/she is​ With the arrival of puberty, this knowledge of self becomes challenged – you both look and feel different.​ Moreover, the world ‘looks’ different.... and must be thought about in a new way.​ One question dominates the adolescent mind: Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages​ Erikson “the young individual must learn to be most himself where he means most to others....those others....who have come to mean most to him............(identity) will appear to refer to a conscious sense of individual identity....an unconscious striving for a continuity of personal character....as a maintenance of an inner solidarity with a group’s ideals and identity” (1959, p. 102) Identity versus Identity Crisis The answer to the question is one of self-definition If one can define oneself in terms that satisfy both the self and societal norms, then the resulting identity is both personally and socially adaptive. How is this achieved? Know what you believe in Know what attitudes you hold Know what your ideals are Establish personal ideology Identity versus Identity Crisis​ If positive self-identity is found, then fine.​ If not, then adolescents experience ‘identity crisis’​ ‘I don’t know who I am”​ Result?​ Try out one identity after another....searching for an identity....​..how do we try and ‘find’ ourselves?​ Gap Years What are they for? So far … Freud and Erikson: adolescence = search for identity​ Tools that aid this search = formal operations & hypothetical thinking​ How and Why?​ Everything is relative: comparisons​ Social comparisons are a dominant feature of adolescence (social comparison theory).​ Become obsessed with how we look compared to others around us and ‘ideals’ presented in the media.​ If we ‘construct’ our own identity, then what we construct is determined by these comparisons (actual self v ideal self).​ How????​ Piaget: through formal operational thought, in particular, hypothetical-deductive reasoning! [an idea is presented and consequent events are predicted based on that idea]​ Hypothetical- deductive Reasoning​ “I’m not as popular as other boys in my class”​ Why????​ – [a] I’m not as good at sport?​ – [b] I’m not good looking?​ – [c] my taste in music isn’t ‘cool’?​ – [d] my clothes aren’t trendy?​ – [e] I wear glasses?​ – [f] I have spots?​ You have a hypothesis and deduce (predict) why it is the case = scientific thinking​ Hypothetical- deductive Reasoning​ What do I do?​ Do I have any evidence that others think worse of me because of any of these points?​ If so, is any one more important than the other(s)?​ Is there anything I can do to change things?​ How confident am I that changing something will alter other’s perceptions of me?​ What if there’s nothing I can do - what if I’m sure all the possible changes will not alter anything?​ Hypothetical- deductive Reasoning​ Types of questions that can be addressed by Hypothetical-Deductive Reasoning​ What if there’s nothing I can do - what if I’m sure all the possible changes will not alter anything??​ Why might this be important for me to work out now?​ Why the emphasis on other people if I’m thinking about me?​  The ‘Barometric’ self?​ Term coined by Rosenberg (1979)​ Implies fluctuating sense of self.​ A stable self-identity needs to be established during adolescence - before we enter adulthood.​ Q. Where does adolescent sense of self come from?​ Peer Groups​ How important are peers, and why?​ Important for ‘normal’ development of personal identity​ Positive peer relationships (i.e., inclusive, supportive) are associated with positive social adjustment (i.e., adjusting to new ‘role’ in society as teenager rather than child)​ (Ryan & Patrick, 1996)​ Social isolation associated with problems in adolescence - e.g., delinquency, drinking, depression​ (Hops et al., 1997)​ Peer Groups​ So peer groups are an important factor in the construction of self- identity ​ But what is the process by which we identify with peers?​ Social Identity​ Social Identity Theory​ (e.g., Tajfel, 1978; Tajfel & Turner, 1979)​ Social comparisons - ingroup versus outgroup - highlight which factors are important for, and central to, personal identity.​ Positive social identity/self-esteem are maintained by:​ Comparing ingroup with outgroup....​.... and deciding that the ingroup is ‘better’​ Social Identity​ Is this what adolescents do???​ Intuitively, answer is ‘Yes’​ Adolescence is often marked by signs that teenagers make great efforts to:​ – align themselves with a particular group, and ​ – distance themselves from others​ Adolescents report greater group identification than adults​ (Liebkind, 1983)​ Social Identity Theory​ If SIT is a factor in identity formation, what is the process?​ How to test?​ Ask adolescents to discriminate between two groups on a number of dimensions.​ To maintain positive Social Identity, participants should show greatest level of discrimination between those dimensions that make the biggest contribution to identity.​ Key Study TARRANT ET AL. (2001)​  Social Identity​ Tarrant et al. (2001)​ Asked ~150 males (14-15 years old) to rate 26 statements​ e.g., “enjoy listening to classical music”​ “wear fashionable clothes”​ “enjoy watching action films”​ (about preferences for music, film and leisure/sport)​ Social Identity​ Results?​ 24/26 items were either positively or negatively rated​ 13 were positively rated (i.e., above the mean)​ 11 were negatively rated (i.e., below the mean)​ Look at them separately​ Tarrant et al. (2001)​ Part 1A: How well does statement ‘X’ describe other groups​ Part 1B: How well does statement ‘X’ describe your group ​ Part 2: How desirable does your group believe it is to be good at ‘X’ (e.g. football)​ Part 3: Self-esteem scale (measures how important group identity is to individuals)​ “I am glad to be a member of this group”​ “In general, others respect my group”​ etc.​  Tarrant et al. (2001) Results? ** 13 were positively rated (i.e., above the mean) F it to group F it to group Of these 13, there were 8 where responses indicated statistically ** significant ingroup/outgroup differences. These were:  Tarrant et al. (2001) Ingroup favouritism F it to group F it to group Favouritism and Identification Scoring Identity - rating 6 statements using 11-point scale​ e.g., ​ I am glad to be a member of this group​ In general others respect my group​ Belonging to this group is an important reflection of who I am​ Group Identity score predicted by level of ingroup favouritism (p <.001)​  Differences highlight just what adolescent males value the most in terms of their identity.​ More importantly, there was an ‘order’ effect on the degree of ingroup favouritism.​ Order 1​ How well does statement ‘X’ describe other groups?​ So what?​ How well does statement ‘X’ describe your group?​ Order 2​ How well does statement ‘X’ describe your group?​ How well does statement ‘X’ describe other groups?​  What difference does an ‘order effect’ produce?​ Ingroup first (order 2) - favouritism mean = +0.64​ Outgroup first (order 1) - favouritism mean = +1.34​ So what?​ i.e., participants rated themselves more highly on items they rated positively when they had already rated another group on those dimensions.​ Salience of ‘social’ identity heightened when comparison made explicit​  So what?​ Dimensions that possess no intrinsic measure of worth​ e.g., particular forms of music​ are endowed with a sense of value to discriminate socially desirable qualities of self from undesirable qualities of self.​ Adolescents ‘use’ these arbitrarily defined measures of worth to maintain inter-group distinctions and support their own personal social identity.​ Items that adolescents value most highly are the ones where the greatest degree of discrimination/emphasis will be found.​ Revision and Reading Week 01 Learning Outcomes Check your learning What are the main goals of adolescence according to Freud?​ And according to Erikson?​ How does Piaget’s Formal Operational thought/hypothetical thinking aid the search for self-identity?​ What role do social comparisons (comparing ourself to other individuals) play in identity development?​ Why are peer groups an important factor in the construction of self-identity?​ According to social identity theory, what is the process by which we identify with peers?​ What are the risks of not being able to identify with a positive peer group?​ Reading Steinberg (2022). Adolescence. 13th Edition: Chapter 8/11​ Amsel, E. (2011). Hypothetical thinking in adolescence: Its nature, development, and applications. In E. Amsel and J. G. Smetana (Eds.), Adolescent Vulnerabilities and Opportunities, (Ch5) p 86-108. Cambridge: CUP. What to do after this lecture Test your understanding using the ‘check your learning’ slides Do the assigned reading If you have time you can check Canvas for additional activities, including the global discussion boards Next Lecture Next week we will look further into adolescence​ Lecture 7 on emergence of risk-taking (neuro- and models)​ Lecture 8 on development of moral decision making​ We will see that the two are linked - whether teens take on board information about risk may depend on their stage of moral development (are they worried about risks/harm to themselves, or others?)​