Abstract In this paper, the writer identifies who he or she is, according to certain theories studied in class that are laid out in the text. These include the observational learning model, Piaget's stages of cognitive development, and Erikson's stages of psychological development. The writer points out that all of these go toward making a comprehensive self identity.
From the Paper "One of the most fascinating questions that we all focus on at various stages in our lives is the definition of who we are. We express this in many different ways - during deep discussions with friends, for example, but also as a function of our everyday actions, and the choices we make, both large and small. It is accurate to say that who we are - personal identity - is present very early in life, but it gets stronger and more distinct as life goes on. In some ways, personal identity may also develop as life goes on, changing and going in different directions."
Abstract This paper crosses disciplines of psychology and sociology/anthropology. It uses Erik Erikson's famous "Theory of Identity Formation" to try and make sense of Amish culture. It examines social and psychological aspects of Amish life from birth to death. It finds that Erikson's theory works well and is substantiated by Amish life?especially Amish adolescence.
From the Paper "With this paper I am concerned with observing Old Order Amish Society (primarily in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania) through an Eriksonian framework of identity formation. His epigenetic cycle, the Eight Stages of Man, will be played out using Amish social customs and practices extracted from numerous literary sources, though most predominantly from John Hostetler's Amish Society. Of particular interest, and most emphasized, is the fifth epigenetic stage?the identity crisis. To expedite a resolution during this adolescent phase, Erikson prescribes a psychological "moratorium" which corresponds directly to the seemingly peculiar Amish practice of relaxing behavioral standards of teenagers. In order not to misrepresent individual identity as collective identity writ small, the notion of Amish personhood is later invoked, although is more briefly discussed. The successful resolution of an adolescent's identity crisis seems to coincide with the decision to enter the church, which, marked by the baptism ceremony, signifies attainment of full personhood. Despite that Erikson's notion of identity is predicated upon a fairly determinant and universalistic psychobiological trajectory, and therefore of limited utility for comparative studies, it is believed useful here as an analytic tool for understanding Amish development given their strong cultural identity and social dictates of personal behavior."
Abstract This paper offers an explanation of Erik Erikson's work, titled "Identity and the Life Cycle". The paper outlines the ways in which the human ego develops in the context of social and cultural realities and is divided into three major sections. "Identity and the Life Cycle" explains ego development and historical change as a function of the specific space and time in which an individual is born.
From the Paper "At the outset of "Identity and the Life Cycle", Erikson distances himself from Sigmund Freud. On page 18, the author criticizes specifically the "artificial differentiation" between the individual within the family and the individual within the mass of society. While Freud overly focused on familial issues and influences on the budding child ego, Erikson takes this one step further and claims that the individual's perception of socio-cultural realities are equally as significant. It is impossible, according to Erikson, to differentiate between familial and cultural or historical influences; individuals and families do not exist in isolation from the group in which they are formed."
Abstract In this article, the writer describes the psychology of personality as one of the most interesting and enigmatic areas of psychology. The writer discusses that essentially it deals with the way in which personality characteristics are formed and influenced by various factors; such as genetic disposition and external influences like society, family and peers.
The writer concludes that the understanding of personality is complex and involves a wide range of theories and perspective. The writer also maintains that personality is still one of the greatest enigmas in the psychological world.
From the Paper "Carl Jung was to deviate from Jung's theory to a great degree. He too saw the unconscious as the primary element in understanding human personality and motivations but he developed a more holistic view of the unconscious than Freud in his theory of archetypes. This was to have profound consequences for the theory of personality and for psychology in general. This theory is focused on what he termed the collective unconsciousness which contains within it "...inherited predispositions to perceive the world in certain ways." Therefore this view attempted to explain human nature and personality from the perspective of deep rooted unconscious structures that were part of the psyche of all people. "
Abstract This paper examines the role of trauma in the etiology of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and some of the most successful treatments used to treat the disorder. The paper analyzes the disorder according to the DSM-IV, Sybil, and other articles of research.
Table of Contents:
DID According to the DSM-IV
Sybil's Story
In General: Treatment and Prognosis
From the Paper "Psychodynamically aware psychotherapy is the most commonly cited treatment orientation. Incorporating eclectic techniques, cognitive therapy methods can be modified to help patients explore and alter dysfunctional trauma-based belief systems; however, standard cognitive therapy protocols for depression and anxiety usually require modification when used in the treatment of DID. Most therapists employ hypnosis as a modality in the treatment of DID. The most common uses of hypnosis are for calming, soothing, containment, and ego strengthening. (Barach, 1994, para 12)"
Abstract This paper looks at the history of adoption, how the adoption process has evolved with time and the effect that adoption has on the psychology of the child. According to this paper, parent and child attachments are relationships, and it is the quality of these attachments or relationships that determine the child's template for all future relationships and the foundation of the child's core values and beliefs.
From the Paper "Depending upon the age and maturity of the individual, experiences influence the personality in different ways, and the experiences and emotional relationships that exist in early childhood have effects that are incorporated into the "very structure of the personality" (Clothier). According to Clothier, experiences and relationships after the Oedipal development may mold or modify the presenting or external personality, yet their effects are generally not incorporated or built into the personality (Clothier). In the early years, the external environment combines with constitutional factors to determine personality, then later, through the influence of education, environment and experience modify personality manifestation, "even to the extent of creating the person we think we know" (Clothier). Although analogies are unsatisfactory, Clothier points out that in the construction of the personality, "constitution provides the basic metal, infantile emotional relationships and experiences add alloys and temper the metal, and childhood education and environment provide the superstructure, facade, and the paint" (Clothier).
The implication of this for the psychology of the adopted child are extremely significant, for a child who is placed with adoptive parents at birth or soon after, misses the mutual and satisfying mother-child relationship, "the roots of which lie in that deep area of the personality where the physiological and the psychological are merged" (Clothier). For the child and the biological mother, this period is part of the biological sequence, and it is doubted as to whether the relationship of the child to its postpartum mother can be replaced by even the best of substitute mothers because these subtle effects lie so deeply buried in the personality that it is impossible to evaluate them (Clothier). The adopted infant cannot experience the satisfaction of the nursing period with his or her substitute mother, however the child will experience his or her first important socializing relationship (Clothier)."
Abstract An examination of the relationship between ethnicity and identity as understood as basis structures of individual life-worlds. The essay is divided into two parts. The first part is devoted to sketching conceptual fieldwork, while the second part deals with the analysis of collected data. Therefore, in the first part, the writer explains the concepts ?identity?, and "ethnicity" and indicates possible ramifications the particular usage of concepts implies. In the second part, identity is discussed as a variable that influences ethnic ideologies one adheres to. In this part he also shows how the level which a particular ethnic group occupies at the stratification level, influences the shape of one's identity. In conclusion, the writer summarizes the findings by suggesting that identity and ethnicity mutually influence each other and they are both complementary expressions of each other.
From the Paper "In the following essay, I am going to locate the focal point of this problem in the one particular community - Highland Park High School. Highland Park is a small town in New Jersey, Middlesex County, where many emigrants from Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America are there. At the Highland Park High School, although not apparently seen, the question of identity and ethnic belonging is still a problem among the American youths. While staying a year at Highland Park, I have been thinking a lot about the problems characteristic for the multicultural societies. All the questions I have asked myself may be boiled down to one single question ? namely, whether ethnicity and identity should be treated as interdependent variables, or rather one of them is more fundamental?"
Reviews two articles about identity formation in adolescence: "The Development of the Sense of Self in Adolescence" by A. Blasi and K. Milton and "Styles of Identity Formation in Early and Middle Adolescence" by H. Flum.
Abstract This paper examines and compares "The Development of the Sense of Self in Adolescence" by A. Blasi and K. Milton and "Styles of Identity Formation in Early and Middle Adolescence" by H. Flum, which both explore different adolescent identity styles and how they are formed. The paper points out that both articles are influenced by Erik Erikson's concept of the development of personality during adolescence. The paper also explains that Flum explores styles of identity within the framework of a number of issues, which concern adolescents at different age levels and represent the intrapersonal and interpersonal facets of the adolescent's experience; whereas, Blasi and Milton clarify an adolescent's sense of self, which underlies the experience of their evolving identity.
From the Paper "Flum (1994) results were categorized based on Marcia's ego-identity statuses. These showed whether the participant demonstrated identity diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, diffused type of moratorium and a less-diffused type of moratorium. The participants who fit into the identify diffusion category showed high external orientation and low decisiveness. The lower SES group had the most extreme cases of identity diffusion. The results for sex differences showed that 8 out of 10 of the extreme identity cases where males. There was no difference found for age for participants with extreme identity diffusion and the extreme non diffusion participants."
This paper looks at the issue of self-expression of identity, focusing on the classroom setting and students with a non traditional sexual orientation or disability.
Abstract This paper explores several educational theories that deal with the formation of individual identity within the context of a classroom. The paper discusses social justice education theories, critical pedagogy theory, and social identity theory and looks at how these theories can help exlplain the development of identity within the classroom, specifically focusing on students with disabilities or a non-traditional sexual orientation. The paper relates that constructing an identity within the context of a classroom is difficult enough, but adding into that a disability or a non traditional sexual orientation makes the process that much more difficult. The paper concludes that several of the theories examined in the paper prove how identity formulation is in some ways hindered within a classroom based on the categories and labels children place upon themselves.
Outline:
Literature Review
References
From the Paper "This is the same concept for students with different sexual orientations; they should first be acknowledged for all of their various identities, and then treated and taught accordingly based on the collaboration of those identities. This type of teaching environment must begin in grade school and continue on into higher education in order to present a solid foundation for these student's identities to grow and flourish all throughout their educational career.
"Children who are forced with a disability have an especially hard time in formulating their own unique identity when compared to physically normal children. Deaf children of all ages suffer a lag in their language and communication skills, which in turn delays their own formation of a conception of a self ..."
Abstract This paper discusses identity theft in terms of its impact, its character and its prevention. In the paper, particular attention is given to the types of primary identity theft classifications, some online methodologies of identity theft and finally, some preventive measures. The paper discusses how identity theft is found to be a massive problem in terms of financial losses to both corporations and individuals and is expected to grow in severity over the next few years.
From the Paper "Identity theft occurs when an unauthorized person obtains another's name and a piece of critical identifying information about that person such as a credit card or bank account number, social security number or driver's license number. With these two pieces of information, someone can open credit card accounts in someone else's name and go on spending sprees for personal items or for things that can easily be sold. When bills are not paid, the delinquent account shows up on that person's credit report. The identity thief can change the mailing address on the victim's credit card account thus delaying the discovery of the theft. The imposter then runs up big bills on the victim's account, and since they are being sent to the new address, one would have no way of knowing any of this was going on."
Abstract This paper addresses broad concepts, such as identity, cultural awareness, cultural communication, social norms, and sustainable global harmony, without compromising detail or completeness. It uses Chapters One through Four of anthropology professor Dr. Fitzgerald's book, "Metaphors of Identity: A Culture-Communication Dialogue", to illustrate the key factors contributing to effective interpersonal and intercultural relations. his paper not only summarizes the ideas in Fitzgerald's book, but also analyzes their content in terms of identity, culture, and anthropological ideals.
From the Paper "In chapter 1 of Thomas Fitzgerald's Metaphors, important concepts such as identity, cultural awareness, and cross-cultural communication are introduced. The prominent theme in this chapter is cultural awareness, which is becoming more and more necessary to create an effective global society. Communication is the key to achieving effective cultural awareness (Fitzgerald 1993: 2). Cultural awareness is actually a broad notion that recognizes and accepts all attitudes, values, social customs, and traditions different from the ones we are accustomed to (Fitzgerald 1993: 1). Additionally, it is essential to recognize minority groups within your own culture, such as the elderly or handicapped, to sustain harmony on a smaller scale."
Abstract This paper discusses the ways in which institutions help to construct social identities. The paper uses various paradigms to consider how identity is constructed in two different settings: a secondary school and a trauma center emergency room. The paper contends that the processes of identity-building is impacted by education, as well as other socializing factors.
From the Paper "Working in the spirit of Goffman's study of the psychiatric clinic and the resulting description of how a social identity is constructed as an evolutionary process dependent in large measure upon the social...."
Abstract This is a paper on the topic of identity theft. The paper explains how hackers use social security numbers to steal a person's identity through the computer.
Abstract This paper describes ways in which scholars link choice of language to personal identity and the social perception of one's identity. It argues that people make deliberate choices to represent themselves in a desirable manner.
Abstract This paper explains the concepts of political identity. The author relates the history of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and Islamic political identity. The paper examines the likelihood of resolution.
From the Paper "Political identity is a difficult concept to grasp because it inherently juxtaposes many different concepts. On the one hand, there is political affiliation, which can depend on economic factors social factors and moral factors. On the other hand, there is the no ..."
Tags: political identity, middle east, arab, jew, israel, palestine, intifada
