Cognitive Complexity and Ego Identity in Talented Israeli Adolescent Boys

Abstract

Ego identity was defined by Erikson as a one-dimensional and continuous variable. The concept was expanded by Marcia, becoming a two-factor dichotomous variable which yields a typology. Tzuriel went a step further, constructing a complex, multi-factor continuous variable. It seems that, in order to consolidate so complex an identity, an adolescent must have many cognitive and combined abilities, such as processing and organization of information, induction and deduction, and decision-making. The assumption underlying the present study is that gifted adolescent boys with high levels of cognitive complexity will have consolidated and complex ego identities. Eighty-five adolescent boys studying at a school for the talented, and 27 adolescent boys studying at a regular school filled out ego identity questionnaires and cognitive complexity questionnaires. The results showed that the talented boys had higher cognitive complexity scores than the others. Furthermore, relative to the regular-school pupils, the talented boys scored higher on two dimensions of ego identity: (a) meaningfulness versus alienation and (b) naturalness and truthfulness. No significant differences were found on the other dimensions of identity. Meaningfulness and truthfulness are the most ideological and central dimensions of male adolescent identity, especially at age 15. At this age, a boy's moral development and interest in moral issues peaks. He is less interested in issues of vocational commitment. This explains why significant differences were found on the two cited dimensions only. There is reason to expect that, at later stages of adolescence differences would be found on additional dimensions of identity.