Erikson's Life Stages
Final Paper
Morgan Albers
Ivy Tech Community College
PSHC 201
Mr. McMullin
Throughout this course I have become familiar with psychological concepts and theories that occur during all stages of life. Even though I have not lived long enough to discuss many of the topics, I have just made it through adolescence. Because I do not remember many of my younger infancy and early childhood I feel that it would be best to discuss my adolescence while it is fresh in my mind. Turning eighteen is a big step in one’s life and there are many changes that take place during this time, in this paper I will analyze these stages in my life. Going through identity crisis during high school, identity achievement, moral reasoning, and social relationships are all concepts that I can relate to during my adolescent years. In the text Erikson states that the central crisis of adolescence is that of identity versus role confusion [Bruce, 2004], which every high school student can relate to when they enter this new stage of their life. Through my years of high school I was interested in many different activities with many different groups of friends. I had my friends in softball, in cheerleading, in choir, and in band. Because I was involved with many different groups of friends I was pulled in different directions. I was no longer a child anymore but a teenager and therefore becoming a “new person,” obtaining a new identity. Confusion about all the role choices that are thrown at you leads to identity crisis, which is a period in which an adolescent is confused about the lack of identity [Erikson, 1968]. I myself went through this more than once throughout my years of high school. Each year you lose friends and you make new friends, you lose interest in one activity or sport and become interested in another I went through a different identity crisis each year while all of these events occurred to me. All throughout high school I feel like I did not truly know who
Morgan Albers
Ivy Tech Community College
PSHC 201
Mr. McMullin
Throughout this course I have become familiar with psychological concepts and theories that occur during all stages of life. Even though I have not lived long enough to discuss many of the topics, I have just made it through adolescence. Because I do not remember many of my younger infancy and early childhood I feel that it would be best to discuss my adolescence while it is fresh in my mind. Turning eighteen is a big step in one’s life and there are many changes that take place during this time, in this paper I will analyze these stages in my life. Going through identity crisis during high school, identity achievement, moral reasoning, and social relationships are all concepts that I can relate to during my adolescent years. In the text Erikson states that the central crisis of adolescence is that of identity versus role confusion [Bruce, 2004], which every high school student can relate to when they enter this new stage of their life. Through my years of high school I was interested in many different activities with many different groups of friends. I had my friends in softball, in cheerleading, in choir, and in band. Because I was involved with many different groups of friends I was pulled in different directions. I was no longer a child anymore but a teenager and therefore becoming a “new person,” obtaining a new identity. Confusion about all the role choices that are thrown at you leads to identity crisis, which is a period in which an adolescent is confused about the lack of identity [Erikson, 1968]. I myself went through this more than once throughout my years of high school. Each year you lose friends and you make new friends, you lose interest in one activity or sport and become interested in another I went through a different identity crisis each year while all of these events occurred to me. All throughout high school I feel like I did not truly know who
Cited: Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity Youth and Crisis. New York: Norton. Enhancing the Spiritual Development of Adolescent Girls (2004) Retrieved November 26th, 2008, from: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KOC/is_5_7/ai_n6121239/pg_1?tag=art Body;col1 W.C. Crain. (1985). Theories of Development. Prentice-Hall. pp. 118-136. Marcia, J. (1980). Identity in adolescence. In J. Adelson (Ed.), Handbook of adolescent psychology (pp. 159-187). New York: Wiley.