1. A Study on Identity Development
James Marcia’s Identity Statuses
Annie Rindone
Kristina Rainwater

2. Bibliography
Hoover, Kenneth R., J. E. Marcia, and Kristen Diane Parris. The Power of Identity Politics in a New Key. Chatham House studies in political thinking. Chatham, N.J.: Chatham House Publishers, 1997.
Jean Piaget Society, Jean Piaget Society. Meeting, Cynthia Lightfoot, Christopher A. LaLonde, Michael J. Chandler. Changing Conceptions of Psychological Life. New York: Routledge, 2004.
Marcia, J E. “Development and Validation of Ego Identity Status.” J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. (Buffalo: University of New York) 3:551-8,
Marcia, James E. “Identity, Psychosocial Development, and Counseling.” Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
from Marcia and attached essay

3. James Marcia
left the graduate program at Ohio State for an internship at Massachusetts Mental Health Center in Boston and then returned to write his dissertation
Canadian developmental psychologist and Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada
Erik Erikson’s theory was the platform from which Marcia developed identity statuses as well as a procedure to collect data
At age 24, he left the graduate program in clinical psychology at Ohio state to go onto an internship at Massachusetts Mental Health Center in Boston, a training hospital for Harvard Medical School
He is a Canadian developmental psychologist and Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada.
He not only developed Erik Erikson’s theory about identity formation but also developed a procedure to collect data.

4. Erik Erikson Developed theory of social development of human beings
Eight Stages
Form identity within each stage reconcile physical changes and cultural forces encountered at each stage
To understand Erikson’s conceptualization of the phenomenon of identity it is necessary to see it in the context of developmental theory generally.
He organized life into eight stages that extend from birth to death (many developmental theories only cover childhood). Since adulthood covers a span of many years, Erikson divided the stages of adulthood into the experiences of young adults, middle aged adults and older adults. While the actual ages may vary considerably from one stage to another, the ages seem to be appropriate for the majority of people.
Eight stages:
Infancy
Early childhood
Play Age
School Age
Adolescence
Young Adulthood
Middle Adulthood
Late Adulthood

5. Introduction to Erikson
inaccurate diagnosis of a sixteen year old boy
read Identity in the Life Cycle and became interested in Erikson and his theory
influenced his dissertation topic and research
Assigned to psychodiagnostic work up on a 16 year old boy. He was diagnosed with a thought disorder and was released after 6 months, surprising for a patient with a schizophrenic disorder. Colleague recommended he read Erickson's eight stages, Identity in the Life Cycle, and they revisited the results and found him to be, according to Erikson, in the middle of an identity crisis which the doctors pulled him through quickly. This exposure influenced his dissertation topic at Ohio State.

6. James Marcia
Extended Erikson's theory by distinguishing different forms of identity
end of childhood and the beginning of adulthood
synthesis of childhood skills, beliefs, and identifications
provides the young adult with both a sense of continuity with the past and a direction for the future
“The consolidation of identity marks the end of childhood and the beginning of adulthood. Identity formation involves a synthesis of childhood skills, beliefs, and identifications into a more or less coherent, unique whole that provides the young adult with both a sense of continuity with the past and a direction for the future.”
Marcia operationalized Erikson's concept of identity formation (so basically he made the concept measurable in form of variables consisting of specific observations) and described identity as a process of experiencing crises related to one's ascribed childhood identity by responding to the conflict by either making new commitments or foreclosing possibilities.

7.
Hi Annie and Kristina, I've attached a chapter that should answer the first part of your questions. Regarding the second part, the identity statuses were intended initially as operationalizations of Erikson's theory. That is, could something as complex as identity be reliably measured. So, they were kind of "snapshots" of identity resolutions at one point in time. Then, as validating evidence began to accumulate, it made sense to look at the statuses as a kind of developmental sequence - also, it became clear that no one is just one status, but an admixture of statuses with one predominating. So - most people enter adolescence as foreclosed (some, unfortunately as diffused), then proceed through a more or less protracted, more or less difficult, exploratory period (moratorium), and arrive, ideally, at their first identity (achievement). Not everyone does this - some stay foreclosed, some remain diffuse, some get stuck in an endless moratorium. Any other questions, let me know. Jim Marcia

8. “Although Erikson's is not a theory of psychotherapy, it is a comprehensive framework within which psychotherapist of many theoretical persuasions can carry out their work. It does not tell them what to do- other theories are available for that- but it does tell them where their clients might be coming from, where they are currently, and where they might be expected to go. It is not a vehicle, but it is a superb map.”
“I find Erikson solid ground on which I can stand in order to understand the scope and course of human development, my patients, and myself.”
Erikson's work was theory and Marcia made it quantitative, measurable.

9. Vocabulary
Identity Crisis- a time of upheaval where old values or choices are being reexamined
the outcome of a crisis leads to a commitment to a certain value or role
Exploration- the process of discovering, through experimentation, your own personal beliefs in a certain life domain
Commitments- a solid belief in the realm of politics, occupation, religion, intimate relationships, friendships, and gender roles
Crisis– boy worked under his father at the family business through high school but then realized that was not the profession he wanted for the rest of his life
Exploration– trying to find what profession to pursue, taking different classes, working different jobs
Commitment- finding a profession that he feels called to and is able to break away from societal and familial expectations and pressures
Crisis and commitment form adolescent identity according to Marcia while Erikson suggested identity formation consisted of identity confusion and identity resolution
identity confusion- is an incomplete and sometimes incoherent sense of self and can cause an adolescent to feel lost, isolated, and depressed
identity resolution- construction of a coherent identity that is consistent and stable over time and across events

10. What is Identity?
Identity is reflected on the ways individuals commit themselves:
religion, politics, and future occupation
Formation of Identity vs. Self-Constructed Identity
Erikson admitted that identity was not defined in his writings. According to Marcia, identity is reflected on the ways individuals commit
themselves in important areas in their lives: religion, politics, and future occupation.
The formation of an identity is different form the construction of an identity. The formation of an identity result from the influence and impact of outside forces on decisions you make. However, an identity is constructed when the individuals make the decisions themselves, not as a result of society, peers, or parents, about who to be, with which group to affiliate, what beliefs to adopt, what interpersonal values to espouse, and what occupational direction to pursue. Most people achieve identity through the former, while some construct their identity and thus achieve it rather than having to conferred upon them by others. The experience of having an identity is that one has a core, a center that is oneself, to which experience and action can be referred.

11. Marcia’s Four Identity Statuses
Identity Diffused
Foreclosure
Moratorium
Identity Achieved

12. Identity Diffused Characterized by many adolescence
Have made no commitments and have not experienced an identity crisis
Pressure from peers, parents and society help to wrestle with these crisis decisions
Have neither explored alternatives, nor are they committed to any particular directions in their lives. They are limited in their capacity for intimate relationships and tend to bend, ideologically, whichever way current social winds are blowing.

13. Dorothy Never displayed any commitment to one idea or goal
Focused her attention on whatever guy was in the spotlight
No clear direction

14. Foreclosure Have not experienced a crisis
Have made commitments but they reflect those of their parents, society, or another outside force
Cannot distinguish between the adolescence’s goals and the goals his or her parents have
Want to be a teacher because parent is
Are committed in important life areas, but there commitments are those which they have adopted from childhood authority figures. Their identities are conferred upon them, and willingly received, rather than being self-constructed as is the case with Identity achievements. They endorse authoritarian values and are extremely close to their families.

15. Jim Lived his life based on parents expectations
Did not consider any other options besides the football scholarship
Sense of self according to
parents and society

16. Moratorium Have experienced a crisis Have not made commitments
Have a lot of anxiety and confusion about their identity and act out in rebellious ways
Are right in the middle of an identity crisis, they are exploring alternatives and their commitments are usually vague, although they can be very passionate about certain social issues. They give the impression of struggling to find life directions and consequently appear as anxious. As well, they reasoning about moral issues, whether in terms of justice, or care is especially acute.

17. Homer
Struggles with his plans and the expectations of his father and society
Experiences a crisis
Also an example of identity achieved
“No. Coal mining may be your life, but it's not mine. I'm never going down there again. I wanna go into space.”
Struggles with his dreams of attending college and his fathers plans, as well as the towns expectations, that he would work in the coal mines.
He experiences a crisis when he reexamined his commitment to attending college by entering the science fair and explored coal mining with his father. However, he continued with his pursuit of college.
“No. Coal mining may be your life, but it's not mine. I'm never going down there again. I wanna go into space.”

18. Identity Achieved Experienced and resolved crisis
Have made decisions on own
Characterized by self-acceptance, stable self definition, and commitment to vocation, religion, and political ideology
Still worried about achieving goals
Most adolescence do not achieve this
Most adolescence do not achieve this but those who have chosen an identity for themselves are no longer adolescence
Have explored alternatives in key life areas such as occupation, ideology, and interpersonal values, and they are committed actively to self-chosen directions in these domains. They are relatively introspective, do not change their evaluations of themselves very easily under external pressures and are on their way to establishing solidly intimate relationships.

19. Miss Riley
Committed to the idea that her students could achieve whatever goal they set and were not limited to coaling mining
Strong sense of commitment to her students regardless of societal pressures
“Principal Turner: Miss Riley, our job is to give these kids an education. Miss Riley: Mmm-hmm. Principal Turner: Not false hopes. Miss Riley: False hopes? Do you want me to sit quiet, let 'em breathe in coal dust the rest of their life? Principal Turner: Miss Riley, once in a while... a lucky one... will get out on a football scholarship. The rest of 'em work in the mines. Miss Riley: How 'bout I believe in the unlucky ones? Hmm? I have to, Mister Turner, I'd go out of my mind.”
“Principal Turner: Miss Riley, our job is to give these kids an education. Miss Riley: Mmm-hmm. Principal Turner: Not false hopes. Miss Riley: False hopes? Do you want me to sit quiet, let 'em breathe in coal dust the rest of their life? Principal Turner: Miss Riley, once in a while... a lucky one... will get out on a football scholarship. The rest of 'em work in the mines. Miss Riley: How 'bout I believe in the unlucky ones? Hmm? I have to, Mister Turner, I'd go out of my mind.”

20. Our Project Adolescence (12-18 Years)
Transition from Childhood to Adulthood
Form own identity based on exploration
Questions:
Out of Marcia’s four identity statuses, which do high school students most exhibit in regards to their plans for after graduation?
Have high school students explored different options and/or have experienced an identity crisis?
Identity vs. Role Confusion. During adolescence, the transition from childhood to adulthood is most important. Children are becoming more independent, and begin to look at the future in terms of career, relationships, families, housing, etc. During this period, they explore possibilities and begin to form their own identity based up
on the outcome of their explorations. This sense of who they are can be hindered, which results in a sense of confusion ("I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up") about themselves and their role in the world.
In Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, the emergence of an identity crisis occurs during the teenage years in which people struggle between feelings of identity versus role confusion. Researcher James Marcia (1966, 1976, 1980) has expanded upon Erikson's initial theory. According to Marcia and his colleagues, the balance between identity and confusion lies in making a commitment to an identity. Marcia also developed an interview method to measure identity as well as four different identity statuses. This methods looks at three different areas of functioning: occupational role, beliefs and values, and sexuality.

21. Hypothesis
We hypothesize that high school students are too young to be classified as identity achieved. Based on our experience, high schools students are not given the opportunity to explore or have not experienced a significant crisis. Rather, society has made college an expectation rather than an option and views it as the time when individuals are more qualified to consider other options.

22. Survey
If you plan to go to college, what do you plan to major in at this time? If you are planning to go to a trade school or other type of educational institution, please explain what you plan to study. Then, explain what you plan to do once you have completed your course of study. If you are undecided on a major, what do you hope to gain by attending college.
Is deciding to go to college a difficult decision to make? Why or why not?
What do you find attractive about continuing your education?
Have you ever considered another option besides continuing your education? If so, why did you decide not to pursue that option instead of continuing your education?
Has anyone influenced your decision to continue your education after graduating from high school?

23. Method of Evaluation
Together, we evaluated the responses using a detailed rubric based on Marcia’s four identity statuses. Due to the lack of detail in responses, we ultimately analyzed the answers individually and decided on a predominating identity status for each answer independent of the other answers given by that participant.

24. 1. Identity Diffused Foreclosure Moratorium Identity Achieved
I don’t care
I don’t know
Overwhelmed
Not Motivated
No exploration
No commitment
Foreclosure
My parents believe…
I have been brought up to…
My parents want me to…
My friends think, believe, are going to…
Going along with expectations
Moratorium
Rebellious
Dissatisfied
Perplexed
I am still trying to figure out…
Confused
Not looking to others/ figuring out on their own
Identity Achieved
Self-acceptance
Commitment to vocation
Have committed themselves regardless of others influences (peers, parents, etc.)
May still worry about achieving the goals they have set 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
10.

25. 2. Identity Diffused Foreclosure Moratorium Identity Achieved
I don’t care
I don’t know
Overwhelmed
Not motivated
No exploration
No commitment
Foreclosure
My parents believe…
I have been brought up to…
My parents want me to…
My friends think, believe, are going to…
Going along with expectations
Moratorium
Rebellious
Dissatisfied
Perplexed
I am still trying to figure out…
Confused
Not looking to others/ figuring out on their own
Identity Achieved
Self-acceptance
Commitment to vocation
Have committed themselves regardless of others influences (peers, parents, etc.)
May still worry about achieving the goals they have set 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
10.

26. 3 . Identity Diffused Foreclosure Moratorium Identity Achieved
I don’t care
I don’t know
Overwhelmed
Not Motivated
No exploration
No commitment
Foreclosure
My parents believe…
I have been brought up to…
My parents want me to…
My friends think, believe, are going to…
Going along with expectations
Moratorium
Rebellious
Dissatisfied
Perplexed
I am still trying to figure out…
Confused
Not looking to others/ figuring out on their own
Identity Achieved
Self-acceptance
Commitment to vocation
Have committed themselves regardless of others influences (peers, parents, etc.)
May still worry about achieving the goals they have set 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
10.

27. 4. Identity Diffused Foreclosure Moratorium Identity Achieved
I don’t care
I don’t know
Overwhelmed
Not Motivated
No exploration
No commitment
Foreclosure
My parents believe…
I have been brought up to…
My parents want me to…
My friends think, believe, are going to…
Going along with expectations
Moratorium
Rebellious
Dissatisfied
Perplexed
I am still trying to figure out…
Confused
Not looking to others/ figuring out on their own
Identity Achieved
Self-acceptance
Commitment to vocation
Have committed themselves regardless of others influences (peers, parents, etc.)
May still worry about achieving the goals they have set 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
10.

28. 5. Identity Diffused Foreclosure Moratorium Identity Achieved
I don’t care
I don’t know
Overwhelmed
Not motivated
No exploration
No commitment
Foreclosure
My parents believe…
I have been brought up to…
My parents want me to…
My friends think, believe, are going to…
Going along with expectations
Moratorium
Rebellious
Dissatisfied
Perplexed
I am still trying to figure out…
Confused
Not looking to others/ figuring out on their own
Identity Achieved
Self-acceptance
Commitment to vocation
Have committed themselves regardless of others influences (peers, parents, etc.)
May still worry about achieving the goals they have set 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
10.

29. Identity Diffused Foreclosure Moratorium Identity Achieved
I don’t care
I don’t know
Overwhelmed
Not motivated
No exploration
No commitment
Foreclosure
My parents believe…
I have been brought up to…
My parents want me to…
My friends think, believe, are going to…
Going along with expectations
Moratorium
Rebellious
Dissatisfied
Perplexed
I am still trying to figure out…
Confused
Not looking to others/ figuring out on their own
Identity Achieved
Self-acceptance
Commitment to vocation
Have committed themselves regardless of others influences (peers, parents, etc.)
May still worry about achieving the goals they have set 8 20 5 17

30. Subject Identity Diffused Foreclosure Moratorium Identity Achieved
I don’t care
I don’t know
Overwhelmed
Not motivated
No exploration
No commitment
Foreclosure
My parents believe…
I have been brought up to…
My parents want me to…
My friends think, believe, are going to…
Going along with expectations
Moratorium
Rebellious
Dissatisfied
Perplexed
I am still trying to figure out…
Confused
Not looking to others/ figuring out on their own
Identity Achieved
Self-acceptance
Commitment to vocation
Have committed themselves regardless of others influences (peers, parents, etc.)
May still worry about achieving the goals they have set
Subject 1 2 3
Subject 2 4 1
Subject 3
Subject 4
Subject 5
Subject 6
Subject 7
Subject 8 5
Subject 9
Subject 10

31. Conclusion and Limitation
Our hypothesis was correct as every participant answered college as their plans for after graduation. However, we realize that we had a limited pool of subjects who come from families associated with UD or who are expected to attend college.
Our hypothesis was also correct as none of our subjects described a crises and only some briefly explored another option, though had accepted society’s and their parents’ expectations. Though we do realize that it is possible for high school students to explore other options or experience a crisis, it was not in our data.
We therefore conclude that high school students are unable to commit themselves to an identity.
Style of the survey, we were not able to ask follow up questions or to ask for more detail. We had a very limited pool, ages, types of schools (mostly private), similar familial expectations.

32. Nature vs. Nurture Nature Nurture Marcia
Marcia believes ones identity is developed through their personal exploration and experience of identity crisis then personal commitment rather than something genetic you are born with. However, he does not completely disregard genetic influences as they influence your temperament and how one reacts to their environment.

33. Bibliography
Hoover, Kenneth R., J. E. Marcia, and Kristen Diane Parris. The Power of Identity Politics in a New Key. Chatham House studies in political thinking. Chatham, N.J.: Chatham House Publishers, 1997.
Jean Piaget Society, Jean Piaget Society. Meeting, Cynthia Lightfoot, Christopher A. LaLonde, Michael J. Chandler. Changing Conceptions of Psychological Life. New York: Routledge, 2004.
Marcia, J E. “Development and Validation of Ego Identity Status.” J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. (Buffalo: University of New York) 3:551-8,
Marcia, James E. “Identity, Psychosocial Development, and Counseling.” Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
from Marcia and attached essay