The Self: Development During Adolescence

Culture and the SelfThe Self Concept

Self EsteemThe Emotional Self

IdentityThe Alone Self

Answer the following:1. I am absolutely certain that the following

characteristics define me now and always will:

2. The way I came to know these things about myself is (events, relationships, experiences):

3. I am still working to discover the following about myself:

4. In order to figure out the answers to #3, I think I will have to:

Culture and Self DevelopmentIndividualisticPromote self-examination

and changeCollectivisticPromote conformity,

similarity

Results in different types of self-concepts

Self-Concept – (SC)

From concrete, external characteristics to internal

Actual selves Possible selvesPossible includes Ideal and Feared

selfCarl Rogers’ congruent and

incongruent statesRates of depression peak in mid-

adolescenceSimilar to Murray Bowen’s solid and

pseudo selfSC becomes more complexTraits are influenced by contextsFalse selves to their benefit

Self-Esteem

Individualistic culturesAsian cultures e.g., JapanDip in SE around pubertyPeer pressure – relational

aggression – sarcasm and ridicule

Focus on physical appearanceDifferent pathsBaseline and Barometric Self-

Esteem

Mostly influenced by context“Beeper” studies The company you keepSusan Harter – domains of

self-competencePhysical appearanceInfluences on SEAcceptance and approval by

family and close friendsLove and encouragementTeacher approval, school

successSE rises in emerging

adulthood – many challenges are in the past, person has more control and responsibility

The Emotional SelfEmotional vs Rational brain More negative moodsAmygdala vs frontal lobes

Gender and the Emotional SelfCarol Gilligan, Mary

Pipher – a different voice

US culture devalues assertiveness in females

Succumb to this social pressure

Susan Harter - hyperfeminine girls

Murray BowenSolid - “real” or core selfPseudo - false, or different

“selves”

Solid Self & Pseudo Self

Solid

Pseudo

Erik Erikson - Identity

Who you are, where you are going?

Childhood and Society 1950

Crises – challenges – hurdles – expectations

Identity vs confusionIntimacy vs Isolation

Identity StatusesNegative identity – the rebel Diffusion – unsure, no

search (later psychological problems)

Foreclosure – chose too early, too narrow (conform, conventionality)

Moratorium – time out, search

Achievement – having searched, knowing one’s self - more likely to be self-directed, cooperative, good problem-solvers

Gender and IdentityFemales tend to develop

intimacy skills earlierMales – identity Ethnic identity Assimilation (adopting new culture)Marginality (apart from old and

new)Separation (rejecting new)Biculturalism (a part of old and

new)Global – hybrid identity – merging

local identity with elements of global culture

The Self, AloneTeens spend ¼ of their timeSelf-reflectionMood managementVERY high % of time alone – indicates problems

(loner)Social vs emotional loneliness – not enough

friends vs no real close friendsGreatest loneliness – late adolescence/early

adulthood – coincides with Erikson’s intimacy stage – awareness of need for connection