IDENTITY FROM NON-PARENT TO PARENT

Identity Change From Non-Parent To Parent Individual Person

Identity Change From Non-Parent To Parent Individual Person

Introduction

Based on Erikson's seminal writings on identity (1968), Marcia, 1966 and Marcia, 1980 expanded the concept to include four identity “statuses”—Diffusion, Foreclosure, Moratorium, and Achieved Identity. These statuses may be differentiated in terms of two factors: first, whether or not a commitment has been made to an ideological set of religious, political, and occupational values and goals, or to interpersonal concerns such as sex roles, sexual identity, and relationships.

The second factor is based on whether or not the individual has experienced some conflict or crisis in trying to establish these values, opinions, and goals. Individuals who have not made a commitment and who may or may not have experienced a crisis are considered to be in a state of Identity Diffusion. Those who have made a commitment, but not on the basis of having experienced a personal crisis (more likely, on the basis of unquestioned acceptance of the values, opinions, and goals of their parents or other significant social group) are considered to be in a state of Identity Foreclosure. Those individuals who have not made a commitment but are in fact currently experiencing a crisis are considered as being in a state of Identity Moratorium. Only those individuals who have both experienced a crisis and made a commitment are considered to be Identity Achieved. The four identity statuses have been successfully studied by many investigators. For reviews, see Van Hoof (1999), Waterman (1999), and Whitbourne (1986).

Most of the identity status research has focused on adolescence, consistent with Erikson's theory that the creation of an identity was the central developmental task of this period of life. However, more recent work has suggested that identity development continues after adolescence, and that both progressive and regressive movement is possible (cf. Helson, Stewart, & Ostrove, 1995; Kroger, 2002; Marcia, 1980; Stephen, Fraser, & Marcia, 1992; Whitbourne, Sneed, & Skultety, 2001). For adults, it is appropriate to speak of Achieved, Foreclosed, Moratorium, and Diffused styles; each involves a “qualitatively different style by which individuals may resolve the various psychosocial tasks of adult life” (Kroger, 2002).

Discussion

It is also expected that the life experiences of the adult will be related to identity and identity change. The few studies in which life experience variables have been related to concurrent identity status have found that relationships with parents, work success, and marital status were differentially associated with the different identity styles.

For example, both Achieved and Foreclosed college students described their relationships with parents in a positive way, but the Achieved group had a more balanced view, describing both positive and negative feelings, while the Foreclosed group, as might be expected, stressed conformity with parents' views. In contrast, the Moratorium Identity students were in conflict with their parents, trying to break free from their influence. For the Diffused students, parents, and especially father, were described as distant and misunderstanding (Marcia, 1980; Waterman, ...