Slide 1 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. LIFE-SPAN DEVELOPMENT 11 A Topical Approach to John W. Santrock The Self, Identity, and Personality

Slide 2 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The Self, Identity, and Personality The Self Identity Personality

Slide 3 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The Self All characteristics of a person –Identity—who a person is, representing a synthesis of self-understanding –Personality— enduring personal characteristics of individuals The Self

Slide 4 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Development of Self- Understanding in Children The Self Infancy Self-recognition begins around 18 months Early Childhood Conceive of self as body part, usually head; describe self in physical terms Middle/Late Childhood More complex self understanding Internal characteristics Social aspects Social comparison

Slide 5 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Self-Recognition in Infancy

Slide 6 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Perspective Taking Ability to assume another person’s perspective and understand his or her thoughts and feelings. The Self

Slide 7 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Selman’s Stages of Perspective Taking

Slide 8 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Self-Understanding in Adolescence Abstract and idealistic Self-conscious, preoccupied with self Fluctuating across situations Compare real and ideal Selves –Possible selves—what individuals might become, what they would like to become, and what they are afraid of becoming Integrative The Self

Slide 9 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Changes in Self- Understanding in Adulthood Self-Awareness –Improves in young and middle adulthood Possible Selves –Get fewer and more concrete with age –Some revise throughout adulthood Life Review –Some in middle age, common in older adults The Self

Slide 10 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Self-Esteem and Self-Concept Self-esteem—global evaluative dimension of the self Self-concept—domain-specific evaluations of the self The Self

Slide 11 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Correlations with Self-Esteem High self-esteem related to: –Initiative - both prosocial and antisocial –Happiness –Competence in areas valued by the person Low or dropping self-esteem related to: –Life transitions –Depression The Self

Slide 12 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Self-Esteem in Childhood and Adolescence Accuracy of self-evaluations increases across the elementary school years Majority of adolescents have positive self-image Girls’ self-esteem is significantly lower than boys’ by middle school years The Self

Slide 13 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Self-Esteem in Adulthood Some researchers find drops in self- esteem in late adulthood; others don’t. May be related to goals of older adults: –Knowledge-related goals decrease –Emotion-related goals increase Many older adults have ability to reach emotion-related goals The Self

Slide 14 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Self-Esteem Across the Lifespan Prenatal Development

Slide 15 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Erikson’s Ideas on Identity Identity versus identity confusion Psychosocial moratorium Erikson’s fifth stage of development; occurs during adolescent years; adolescents faced with finding out who they are, what they are all about, and where they are going in life Erikson’s term for gap between childhood security and adult autonomy that adolescents experience as part of their identity exploration Identity

Slide 16 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Identity’s Components Vocational/career Political Religious Relationship Achievement, intellectual Sexual Cultural/ethnic Interest Personality Physical Identity

Slide 17 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Contemporary Views of Identity Gradual, lengthy process Identity formation neither begins nor ends with adolescence –Appearance of attachment –Development of a sense of self –Emergence of independence Identity

Slide 18 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Identity Marcia’s Identity Statuses

Slide 19 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Developmental Changes in Identity Status Young adolescents primarily in diffusion, foreclosure, or moratorium Closer to adulthood, identity- achievement increases “MAMA” cycle –Moratorium-achievement- –moratorium– achievement Identity

Slide 20 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Family Influences Individuality Connectedness –Self-assertion, ability to have and communicate a point of view; and separateness, use of communication patterns to express how one is different from others –Mutuality, sensitivity to and respect for others’ views; and permeability, openness to others’ views Identity

Slide 21 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Personality Theories Trait Theories (Big Five) –Personality consists of broad dispositions, called traits, that tend to produce characteristic responses Stage Theories (Erikson) –Crises in development shape personality Life-Events Approach –Adaptation to events in life shapes personality Personality

Slide 22 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Big Five Factors of Personality Openness to experience Conscientiousness Extraversion Agreeableness Neuroticism (emotional instability) Personality

Slide 23 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Age and Well-Being Personality

Slide 24 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The Life-Events Approach How a life event influences individual’s development depends on: –The life event –Individual’s adaptation to the life event –Life-stage context –Sociohistorical context Personality

Slide 25 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Life Events Framework Personality

Slide 26 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Generativity versus Stagnation Seventh stage in Erikson’s life-span theory Encompasses adults’ desire to leave legacy to next generation Personality

Slide 27 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Generativity from the 30s to the 50s Personality

Slide 28 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Items Used to Assess Generativity Feeling needed by people Effort to ensure that young people get their chance to develop Influence in my community or area of interest Appreciation and awareness of older people Having a wider perspective Interest in things beyond my family Personality

Slide 29 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Stability and Change in Personality Many longitudinal studies have found evidence for both change and stability in personality in adulthood. Cumulative Personality Model –With time and age, people become more adept at interacting with environment in ways that promote stability Personality

Slide 30 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Openness to Experience, Age and Culture Personality

Slide 31 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Characteristics at 50 and Health & Happiness at Ages Personality