1. Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach Chapter 6
The Self
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

2. Chapter Overview
Self-conception and self-esteem in adolescence and emerging adulthood
Emotional variability and related research
Theories and research on self and identity formation
Globalization and identity issues
Loneliness and time spent alone during adolescence and emerging adulthood
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

3. Self-reflection in Adolescence
What kind of person am I? What am I good at? How do other people see me? What kind of life will I have in 20 years?....
Enhanced cognitive capacity in adolescence means that adolescents change in their self-conceptions, self-esteem, and their emotional understanding.
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

4. Culture and the Self Broad Socialization Narrow Socialization
Promote Independent, individualistic self
Encourage self-reflection
Self-esteem valued highly
Interdependent self
Needs and interests of others (i.e., groups) take precedence over self-esteem
The term “Self-esteem” was first coined by William James, an American, in the late 19th century.
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

5. Childhood vs. Adolescence
I have a dog named Jake and a
brother named Silas.
I’m good at sports, but not so good at school.
I’m complicated. I’m sensitive, outgoing, popular and tolerant. I can be shy in some circumstances. I can also be self-conscious, even obnoxious when I’m upset….I have a positive view of humankind….
Trait-focused, traits
more abstract,
personality characteristics
Concrete terms,
related to traits
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

6. The Self in Adolescence
The capacity for abstract thought means an adolescent can distinguish between:
Actual Self “Who I am”
Possible Selves “Who I might become”
Ideal Self “Who I would like to be”
Feared Self “Who I dread becoming”
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

7. More Complex I recognize contradictions in my personality….
Which is the REAL me???
I’m shy around my relatives, but outgoing with my friends….
I’m aware that I sometimes show a FALSE self to others that isn’t really the me or the way I think and feel
The formal operational ability to perceive multiple aspects of a situation or idea mean that self-understanding becomes more complex in adolescence.
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

8. Clarifying the Difference
Self-esteem
Refers to a person’s overall sense of worth and well-being
Self-concept
Refers to the way a person views and evaluates herself or himself
(Also self-image or self-perception)

9. Development and Self-esteem
Research has found declines in self-esteem
from preadolescence to adolescence
On the other hand, the degree of decline in self-esteem should not be exaggerated…
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

10. Discussion Stop
Discuss how adolescents’ cognitive development (e.g., the “imaginary audience”) might be associated with the decline in self-esteem in adolescence.
Other factors?
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

11. Self-esteem in Early Adolescence
Self-esteem can go in a variety of different directions in early adolescence
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

12. Self-esteem: Defining Aspects
Baseline Self-esteem
Stable, enduring sense of worth and well-being
Barometric Self-esteem
Fluctuating sense of worth and well-being as one responds to different thoughts, experiences, etc. through the course of a day
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

13. Adolescent Self-image: 8 Domains
Susan Harter (1989…2001)
Scholastic Competence
Social Acceptance
Athletic Competence
Physical Appearance
Job Competence
Romantic Appeal
Behavioral Conduct
Close Friendship
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

14. Constructing Ideas
Which of Harter’s eight aspects of self-image would you expect to be most important in adolescence?
How might gender and culture impact this? Other factors?
Physical Appearance!!
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

15. Influences on Self-esteem
Feeling accepted by parents and peers
School success
Discussion Detour
Which comes first? Do you think school success increases self-esteem or that self-esteem increases school success? Why? What does research say?
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

16. Self-esteem in Emerging Adulthood
For most young people, self-esteem rises during emerging adulthood.
Why might this be?
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

17. Experience Sampling Method
“Beeper” studies in which adolescents are beeped at random times during the day and asked to record their emotional state
Adolescents record feeling “self-conscious” and “embarrassed” 2-3 times more than adults
Adolescents are “moodier” than preadolescents
Adolescents experience more negative moods than preadolescents
Older adolescents were less volatile (fewer extremes) in emotions than younger adolescents
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

18. Decline in Average Emotional States
(Larson et al, 2002)
Average emotional states decline from grade 5 through 11 and then appear to level off at grade 12
Reflect upon the consistently higher numbers for girls than for boys
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

19. Discussion Stop
Based on your experience and observation, do you agree or disagree with Carol Gilligan’s view that girls lose their “voice” in adolescence?
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

20. Identity: Erik Erikson’s Theory
Erikson ( ) drew on experience as a teacher, psychoanalyst, ethnographer, & therapist
Developed comprehensive theory of human development across the lifespan
Primary focus was adolescence, the time of greatest influence on identity development
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

21. Identity, Erikson, & Crisis
Each life period is characterized by a particular development issue or “crisis”
For each issue or crisis there is a developmentally healthy path and an unhealthy path
Crisis in infancy is “trust vs. mistrust” – the healthy path is establishing secure trust with care provider, the unhealthy path is mistrust (results from a failure to establish a secure sense of trust)
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

22. Identity “Crisis” in Adolescence
Crisis has been equated with “Exploration”
Identity Achievement
Identity Confusion
vs.
Establishing a clear and definite sense of who you are and how you fit into the world around you.
Failure to form a stable and secure identity.
Keep in Mind…
Achieving identity involves exploration – sifting through life choices, trying out possibilities, and ultimately making commitments.
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

23. More Identity Exploration
Psychosocial Moratorium: a period when adult responsibilities are postponed as young people try on various possible selves
Identity formation is founded partly on identifications made in childhood
For example, children identify with parents
Adolescents reflect on identifications and decide which they want to embrace
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

24. Discussion Stop
Identity confusion may be the result of an inability to handle all the choices available and an inability to decide amongst them.
Discuss how this situation may lead to the formation of a negative identity (refer to the definition on page 179 of your text).
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

25. Research on Identity: James Marcia
Inspired by Erikson’s theory, Marcia constructed the Identity Status Interview that classified adolescents into one of four identity statuses
Commitment
Exploration
Yes No
Achievement
Moratorium
Foreclosure
Diffusion
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

26. Four Identity Statuses: Examples
Diffusion
“I’m not worried about what to do after school…who cares.”
Moratorium
“I want to be a marine biologist, no… a lawyer, no…a hairdresser like my best friends’ mom.”
Foreclosure
“I never had to think about what to do, I’m taking over the farm from Dad.”
Achievement
“After studying in Peru, I realize I cannot work for a large corporation, I am going to be a nurse.”
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

27. Occupation Choice & Identity Status
A = Achievement
M= Moratorium
F= Foreclosure
D= Diffusion
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

28. Gender and Identity
Consider this scenario in terms of gender and identity formation in adolescence and emerging adulthood…
I’ll put my plans to explore different careers on hold because it’s important that I maintain my relationship. My fiancé is planning to study engineering, and I’ll move to Chicago with him to support his studies…
Young women tend to have more difficulty than young men in integrating their aspirations for love with their aspirations for work, in part because of gender double standards. Discuss in terms of the task of young adults to achieve intimacy vs. isolation.

29. Culture and Identity: Issues
Conception of “self” is distinctly Western: More studies needed on identity development in non-Western cultures
Psychosocial moratorium is more possible in some cultures than in others
Limitations on exploration in love and work are tighter for girls in traditional cultures than for boys
Only in recent history has the idea of questioning expectations and actively exploring alternatives become prevalent (in Western cultures)
Globalization is impacting identity formation processes for young people around the world
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

30. Ethnic Identity (Phinney)
Identification with Ethnic Group
Identification with Majority Culture
High
Low
Bicultural
Assimilated
Separated
Marginal
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

31. Ethnic Identity: Examples
Status
Example (p. 183)
Bicultural
“Being both Mexican and American is the best of both worlds.You have different strengths you can draw on in different situations.”
Assimilated
“I don’t really think of myself as Asian American, just as American.”
Separated
“I am not part of two cultures. I am just Black.”
Marginal
“When I’m with my Indian friends, I feel White, and when I’m with my White friends, I feel Indian. I don’t really feel I belong with either of them.”
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

32. Globalization and Hybrid Identity
Hybrid Identity = integrating
local culture with elements of
global culture
Many young people around the world develop a bicultural identity in relation to the global culture
An increase in the pervasiveness of identity confusion/ marginalized identity
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

33. The Self, Alone Being alone can be constructive, a time for reflection
American adolescents spend about
one-fourth of their time alone.
Being alone can be constructive, a time for reflection
Social Loneliness – when people feel they lack sufficient social contacts and relationships
Emotional Loneliness – when people feel they lack sufficient closeness and intimacy
Keep in Mind…
Being alone does not imply loneliness and being with others does not imply the absence of loneliness.
Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education. All rights reserved.