1. A Conceptual Framework for Examining Adolescent Identity, Media Influence and Social Development Blake Te’Neil Lloyd
Prepared by: Kath
Martha Muryanto [ ]

2. Presentation Outline Research objectives How Media affects adolescence
The background of the research
How Media affects adolescence
Theories used in the research
conceptual/theoretical underpinnings (framework) of the author's work
Further study (recommendation for further research)

3. Research objectives
How cognitive, social, and biological developments take part in constructing the overall child's identity
The effect of adolescents live in an environment saturated with technology, multiculturalism, and mass media imagery.
Examines the implications that mass media devices (i.e., the Internet, video gaming, and television viewing) have for adolescent development, in particular adolescent social competence

4. How media attracts adolescents
Media and technologies become increasingly interesting and entertaining.
More probable that adolescence will adopt and use media as a toll for understanding self and others
Adolescence use technologies to rehearse interactions with peers
Therefore, the consumption of media does not necessarily negate the normal developmental cognitive functioning in adolescent. It simply provides new opportunities for learning.
Media has also become one of the most prevalent ways in which adolescences gather information about their environment.

5. First theory of mass communication
Initiated in the 1920s
Instinctive Stimulus – Response (S-R) Theory
Media merely ‘sent forth messages that were received and obeyed by the masses –nothing’ mediated in the middle.

6. Theorists -Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Perspective
Behaviour : a function of the interaction between the person and the environment
Human behaviour in context: situational, interpersonal, sociological, cultural, historical, and, of course, theoretical
Bronfenbrenner articulated four major systems that represent the context for child development:
Microsystem –immediate setting containing that person
Mesosystem –system of microsystems through which different settings are linked
Exosystem
Macrosystem –broad societal blueprint
Recognize the multiple layers of contextual influences on child development.
Microsystem : where interactions occur between the developing person and the environment. The most proximal level of context to the individual. Typical components of a microsystem for an adolescent include interpersonal relationships with family members, a peer network, and other social groups such as neighbours.
Mesosystem: An example of this level of ecology might be the linkage between home and school. Furthermore, these interwoven relationships can be supportive of each microsystem or in opposition to each microsystem. For instance, Muuss (1988, p. 304) described an “impoverished mesosystem” in which parents are not familiar with their adolescent child's peer group.
Within the exosystem, the adolescent does not directly participate in these interactions; however, decisions made at this level of context often greatly affect the adolescent. For example, interactions that occur within a parent's place of employment often have a significant impact on the microsystem level of the family.
The macrosystem is described as a broad societal blueprint that contains the core structures and values that compose a particular culture. Features of the macrosystem include political, religious, and educational values; health practices; appropriate standards for behavior and appearance; and roles according to age, gender, and ethnicity.
These levels of context simultaneously affect the individual and interact with one another.

7. Bronfenbrenner's Theory (Cont.)
The limitation of this model is that it cannot capture the dynamic nature of interactions between the developing person and the surrounding environment. Another model proposed by Bronfenbrenner, the bioecological model that argues for the distinct importance of four elements in environmental research designs: person, process, context, and time.
The development of ideas toward a focus on the processes that can account for human development across settings is a major step toward offering more precision regarding how macrosystem attitudes might influence individuals.

8. Identity and Adolescence –the relationship in between
Identity : the ability to relate with self, the continuity of experience, ethnic, ethical and economic make up and character and the ability to make meaning of context and experience.
The significance of adolescence stage: It is the period in which individuals have the requisite cognitive abilities to complete the process of identity formation.

9. Blos’ Theory “character” refers to “identity”
To be able to get to adolescence stage, pre- adolescences have to master four challenges:
The second individuation process
Reworking and mastering of childhood trauma
Ego continuity
Sexual identity

10. Sullivan, Cooley and Mead’s Theory
They observed interpersonal relationship to help explain the self.
Sullivan stated that ‘all that is the self-system arises in interpersonal relations’.
Three modes of experiences (which are expression of inner thoughts of the individual): · Prototaxic
· Parataxic
· Syntaxic
Self system operates to minimise the level of anxiety when dealing with others.
‘Individual’s movement from one stage to the next is contingent on her or his ability to contend with feelings of anxiety which arises out of changing interpersonal relationships’. –‘in essence, the individual’s ability to acquire the appropriate interpersonal skills for each particular stage of development’.
‘A person who can successfully negotiate and cope with normal levels of societal anxiety would become considered as having achieved an appropriate level of identity formation in Sullivan’s model’.

11. Loevinger -‘identity in framework of the ego’
‘The ego is the master trait of personality that forms the basis of identity’
‘Stages of ego development’:
The impulsive, self-protective conformist stage (transitional stage)
The conscientious stage
The individualistic stage
The autonomous stage
The integrated stage
The integrated stage: He/she has understood ‘his/her own personal identity and its relation to the view of others’

12. Elkind
‘Major developmental task of early adolescence concerns adolescence’s ability to access thought’ – adolescence starts to ‘conceptualise their thoughts and the thoughts of others’
Adolescences expect ‘reactions of other people to them’ –they always ‘constructing, or reacting to, an imaginary audience’
Elkind stated that ‘adolescent’s egocentrism is overcome by twofold transformation’.
 Cognitively
Affectively
· Cognitively –a gradual differentiation occurs between the adolescent’s preoccupations and the thoughts of others
· Affectively –adolescent integrates the feelings of others with his or her own emotions.

13. Erikson’s identity formation
The most important stage: stage 5 (Identity vs. Identity confusion)
It is preceded by ‘trust, autonomy and initiative’
Identity: ‘adolescent’s active search for their role, contemplation of personal strengths and weaknesses and simultaneous synthesis of past, present and future life experiences’
The relationship between media and identity: It is significant for adolescence to construct an identity and they are ‘constantly seeking out information about themselves from others within specific context’. For instance, through ‘peer interaction’ and media.
Adolescences are designed an ‘identity status on the basis of two criteria’: 1. Commitments to core beliefs or life choices 2. Crisis period or “exploration of alternatives” [A child who is identity diffused or confused has not experienced an identity crisis –he or she has not decided (or commit to) his/her set of beliefs]

14. Ethnic Identity
‘A sense of connectedness to ethnic group in addition to cognitive, emotional and behavioural correlates of belonging to particular ethnic group’ – it is important for both majority and minority youths.
Marcia illustrated identity ‘as an internal, self-structured, dynamic organisation of drives, abilities, beliefs and individual history’.

15. Cooley and Mead’s Symbolic Interactionist Theory
Symbolic interactionists acknowledge the significance of ‘communication and more precisely language, as both an interpersonal and intrapersonal medium by which culture, socially structured’ circumstances, ‘interpersonal relationships and social identities are’ constructed and sustained in personal point of view. 
Cooley and Mead observed the impact of images repetition on individuals ‘from people closely and frequently involved’.  ‘The role of language and symbols’ are applied to communicate ‘culturally defined meanings’.  The repercussion of media exposure ‘may be magnified during adolescence, especially if media images are being discussed and socially reinforced within an adolescent’s peer group’.

16. Conclusion Comparison between theories
Waterman, Erikson and Marcia, all three, stated that ‘attempts to describe the same referent but that each theorist has sought to focus on different descriptive elements and on different functions the concept serves in human endeavours’.  Marcia and Waterman both have observed the ‘commitment aspect of identity’ construction. However, it is significant to acknowledge other stages of identity formation as put forth by Erikson.

17. Further study
An adolescents response to mass media is a cognitive process, however it can indicate the coping method of an adolescent (PVEST)
Cognitive interpretations of different points in time could identify the impact of mass media on many aspects including enthnic identity, gender roles and personal identity.
How mass media influences social development as well as the adolescent view of self and peer interactions.

18. Further study (Cont.)
AIMSS framework could be used to assist and guide further research by: The development of instruments that are able to analyse media influences amongst diverse adult populations. These methods need to utilise media outlets including the music industry and the internet (which are both of interest to adolescences).
Developmental theory can be used to influence the study of mass media as it assist to identify ecological and individual variables that underpin views and patterns of consumption. Individual characteristics include age, gender, ethnicity etc. whereas ecological includes peer and family culture.

19. Further study (Cont.)
The conceptualisation of key developmental tasks could assist preventative intervention strategies that influence negative outcomes during adolescence. An understanding of reactive behaviours during adolescence within the context of violence in the media.
Study of adolescents who identify with behaviours and prosocial messages from the media. By allowing adolescents to express their views and perceptions of the media, adults will be able to understand the proactive schemas that adolescents use in their lives. Having the view that adolescence is a period of 'storm and strife' the connections of adults to adolescents becomes threatened.

20. The approach which may be most fruitful in addressing the issue
AIMSS: An Integrated Framework for examining Identity, Media and Socio-Cognitive Schemas.
AIMSS incorporates the different theoretical perspectives into a comprehensive framework that identifies the importance of:
ecology
salient developmental tasks
Process
relevant outcomes
All four components need to be considers to ensure accurate analysis of the impact of mass media on the developmental period of adolescence.
Introduction: The review of information/literature is detailed, however the author deems it as a necessity.
Mass communication theory provides the context for understanding social components and provides the rationale for further research on the impact of media on the development of adolescence.
Development theories assist to increase understanding of the internal processes of adolescents.
Erikson definition of the process of identity formation during adolescence is useful as it assists to provide links between the external impact of mass media on adolescence to the internal process of identity formation.

21. AIMSS
AIMSS frameworks aims to analyse the way in which the mass media influences the socialisation of adolescents.
In order to analyse the impacts the interaction between the following components need to be considered:
Mass media devices
Adolescent socio-cognitive processing and;
Adolescent identity formation

22. AIMSS (Cont.) How is AIMSS applied to adolescents?
Social competence: Identity formation is the salient development task. This needs to be considered within a larger ecological context including family composition.
Cognitive process of identity formation: The adolescent is able to 'try on' different selves including status, racial identity, feelings of inclusion/exclusions from social groups within the context of family or social circle.
What if scenarios

23. AIMSS (Cont.)
Considerations of the two socio-cognitive schemas that adolescents can use to organise media images:
Proactive
Reactive
Reactive coping methods
Proactive: Use of positive peer interactions and relationships by getting along with others, displaying empathy and having a healthy identity formation.
Reactive: Adolescents who have a tendency to organise their environment using maladaptive components and thus be more inclined to watch unhealthy and violent imagery on T.V plus programs that are likely to display poor and negative relationship to peers, family and the boarder community. Perceptual processes will vary between individuals based on the gender, cultural background and developmental level.
Reactive coping methods - the adolescents perceived experience of stress in their immediate environment. a temporary response by adolescents that can be maladaptive or adaptive. For example, teacher interaction can result in a student either becoming more engaged with school or becoming more socially withdrawn depending on the coping strategies.

24. AIMSS (Cont.) Further discussion:
An adolescents response to mass media is a cognitive process, however it can indicate the coping method of an adolescent (PVEST)
Cognitive interpretations of different points in time could identify the impact of mass media on many aspects including ethnic identity, gender roles and personal identity.
How mass media influences social development as well as the adolescent view of self and peer interactions.

25. Strengths & Weaknesses
The author recognise the changing environment which also influences the alteration in the conceptualisation of adolescent's development.
This article also looks at broad perspective of adolescent's life -that it does not occur within a single designated theoretical confine
The researcher is also looks identity from many different points of view
Weakness
The stage of identity formation may not be able to be generalised as adolescence may have different experiences

26. Summary of the article
Adolescent identity formation and social competence is formed in the context of media development and adolescent development.
The student of adolescence has moved from a narrow focus to a study of the different developmental processes related to adolescence.
Several researchers believe that social, cognitive and biological development contribute to adolescents and their general feeling of well being.
Theoretical perspectives and the understanding of the different developmental stages of adolescence needs to be understood in the context of the times in which they are studied. Furthermore, relevant historical frameworks need to be considered as too the multiple areas of human development in the context of contemporary society.
There are current models of adolescent development, however there is yet to be a comprehensive model that incorporates the socio-cultural aspects of the 21st Century.
Adolescent development and identity formation is influenced by mass media including the internet, television and video-gaming.
AIMSS framework is embedded in the theories of mass communication theory and symbolic interactionist theory which is embedded in ecological theory.
Theories of mass communication can be linked to the origins of sociology - ideas of community, social solidarity and social order.
Note: wanna make a handout?

27. Summary (Cont.)
First theory of mass communication was 'Instinctive Stimulus- Response (S-R) theory - The idea that the media puts forward ideas that are accepted and obeyed by the people.
Over time mass communication theories changed along with psychological and sociological changes.
Individual differences theorist believe that people are selective to what information from mass media that they will chose to accept and process. People will accept information that in accordance to pre-existing beliefs and attitudes. People of similar social class or demographic will likely have similar responses to mass media information.
Social critics and social theorists support the belief that mass communication has the ability to influence people's behaviour and what is considered the norm in social behaviour. They believe that violent media images can encourage violent behaviour in children.

28. Summary (Cont.)
The author considered that the media reveals to adolescents what is considered to be appropriate versus inappropriate behaviours that can be observed and viewed in a voyeuristic manner. The author argues that adolescence does not develop without the influence of mass media as this is the means in which young people today other information about the world in which they live and the attitudes of society on drugs, alcohol, smoking and sexuality.
Previous studies on the impact of T.V on the development of adolescence has been limited to studying the negative impacts of T.V (aggressive behaviour etc.) rather than the influence of T.V on empathy etc.
theoretical frameworks need to consider the influence of other forms of mass media rather than focussing on T.V. Since 1999 there has been an increase in the accessibility of the internet and it's interactive competent (messaging, chat, game playing).
Roberts and Christenson (2001) argue that adolescent mass media preferences change between early to late adolescence.

29. References
Blake, Te’Neil Lloyd (2002) A conceptual framework for examining adolescent identity, media influence, and social development, Review of General Psychology, 6(1):
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