Identity Status Model Research Articles

Ego Identity: A Personal Standpointin a Postmodern World

Rattansi and Phoenix (1997) presented a postmodernist view of identity as being dynamic, multiplistic, relativistic, context specific, and fragmented, and they rejected Marcia's (1966) identity status model as being "modernist" and inadequate. I agree that identity theory and research can benefit from the postmodernist critique. I argue, however, that their dismissal of the status paradigm may be premature. I consider differences in the ways identity is defined and the possibility that the concept of multiple identities may constitute a category error, and that Rattansi and Phoenix confound 1st-person and 3rd-person perspectives on identity. Finally, I discuss the role that ego identity may serve in providing individuals with a personal standpoint for acting and making decisions in a postmodern world.

The Impact of Application Motives on Medical School Adjustment

Purpose: This study was aimed to identify application motives and to explore the impact of motives on school adjustment in medical school students. Methods: Fifty-one third-year medical students were individually interviewed by two independent interviewers to evaluate application motives and school adjustment. Fisher's exact test and two-way analysis of variance were used to examine group differences in school adjustment and academic performance according to application motives and personal characteristics. Results: On the basis of Marcia's identity status model, four types of application motives were identified including ‘objective orientation’, orientation, ‘heteronomy’, and ‘objective diffusion.’ Students who were classified into either objective orientation or achievement orientation did not have any adjustment problem. However, half the students classified into either heteronomy or objective diffusion had academic or social problems. The students in the first two classifications achieved higher grades in basic science courses than those of the later two. Conclusions: These results suggest that application motives tend to impact school adjustment and academic performance. Motive-based admission policies and student guidance should be considered as an alternative measure for improving school adjustment and academic performance in medical school students.

The Search for the Structure of Identity Formation

The search for the structure of identity formation is a necessary undertaking for the comprehension of identity, identity changes, and identity development. This article attempts to show that the identification of structure and structural stages of identity implies a movement away from the identity status model.We support and clarify our claim by discussing how Kroger's (this issue) definition of the concepts of structure and structural stages in relation to the identity status model leads to serious restrictions in these concepts. The concept of structural integration is introduced as an alternative interpretation and definition of the structure of identity formation. The definition and theoretical implications of the concept of structural integration are clarified and related to other recent conceptual and empirical analyses of identity theory and research.We then go on to show how the concept of structural integration can be studied in empirical research.

Distinguishing Structural and Functional Models of Human Development: A Response to "What Transits in an Identity Status Transition?"

In response to Jane Kroger's "What Transits in an Identity Status Transition?" (this issue), this article questions the usefulness of the concept of soft structural stages as a tool for understanding James Marcia's ego identity status model. The authors begin by distinguishing a variety of developmental models along a continuum, ranging from cognitively based structural stages to culturally based social age periods, with functional stage models holding the overlapping middle ground. Applying this conceptual continuum to Kroger's theoretical essay, three inconsistencies are noted, each of which suggests that Marcia has constructed primarily a functional model. The authors affirm Kroger's conclusion that Marcia's model is developmental, although of a different type than Kroger proposed.

The Evolution of Eriksonian and, Neo-Eriksonian Identity Theory and Research: A Review and Integration

The evolution of the study of identity development is traced from Freud's early writings to Erikson's extrapolations and theoretical expositions, Marcia's empirical operationalization, and finally to 6 alternative theories that have been introduced since 1987 (Berzonsky, Grotevant, Waterman, Kurtines, Adams, and Côté. The issues of measurement and intervention, which have been crucial to the evolution of identity as a researchable construct, are also reviewed. The alternative theories are conceptualized as addressing aspects of Erikson's work that were not addressed by Marcia's identity status model. To facilitate the broadening of identity theory to include more of Erikson's ideas, taxonomies for understanding relations among the alternative theories, and a system for integrating them, is introduced. Finally, suggestions for the development of future identity theory and research are offered.

Ego-Identity Development and the Well-Adjusted Lesbian: Reclaiming Marcia’s Identity Status Model

Ego-Identity Development and the Well-Adjusted Lesbian: Reclaiming Marcia’s Identity Status Model

The Identity Status Field Re-reviewed: An Update of Unresolved and Neglected Issues with a View on Some Alternative Approaches

An evaluation is made of the identity status paradigm, starting out from the 1988 discussion between Côté and Levine and Waterman. The question as to the construct which underlies the statuses is still relevant, and understandably so, since Marcia's definition of identity contains different elements of the construct of ego identity than his identity status model. However, both the definition and the statuses also neglect the sine qua non of identity, namely a sense of temporal–spatial continuity. This is surprising, as an extensive analysis of the field shows that many research areas could have formed a receptive ground for its determination. Furthermore, in contrast to the claims made by the status field, there are shortcomings in the validation of the identity statuses. Another important characteristic of the identity status paradigm is its contradictory views regarding development: along with the claim that there is no developmental continuum underlying the statuses, ideas are also presented on developmental (continuumlike) hypotheses. A review of empirical studies on identity status changes through time is presented. This reveals that in general the statuses excel in measuring stability and that no significant developmental changes are found in the studies. Finally, the state of research regarding factors that influence identity development is related to the findings of the present overview, and in conclusion some alternative approaches to identity formation are presented.

Patterns of Adolescent Identity Development: Review of Literature and Longitudinal Analysis

A review of theoretical articles demonstrates that the theoretical claims of the identity status model have been greatly moderated over the past 30 years. It has been established that the model is not sufficiently specific to qualify as a developmental theory, and a teleological and unidirectional interpretation of identity development has been abandoned. The development does not have a fixed end-target, achievement, and is also not unidirectional, i.e., always proceeding from the low statuses to the high: a reverse developmental pathway is also possible. The moderation outlined here does not mean that a dominant direction in development must be denied, nor does it conflict with the fundamental developmental hypothesis of the identity status model, which (1) assumes a decrease in diffusion and foreclosure and an increase in achievement during the course of development and (2) specifies a pattern of identity status transitions underlying this progressive development. Reviews of empirical studies on identity development support the first assumption of the fundamental developmental hypothesis but not the second, owing to lack of research. An analysis of empirical studies on the relationship between identity status and psychological well-being further specifies the developmental hypothesis. In view of its associated level of psychological well-being, foreclosure emerges as another possible end-point of identity development, in addition to achievement. The developmental hypothesis and the relationship between identity status and psychological well-being are again addressed in a longitudinal study investigating relational and societal identity in a sample of 1538 Dutch adolescents. Four new identity statuses are used in this study: diffusion, closure, moratorium, and achieving commitment. The results support the first assumption of the developmental hypothesis, although not completely. For relational identity we find a decrease in diffusion and an increase in achievement and for societal identity a decrease in diffusion and an increase in closure. This means that a direction can in fact be indicated in the development of identity, but that closure can also serve as the end-point of the development, particularly for societal identity. Moreover, the domain of societal identity in general displays a less pronounced development than relational identity. This difference between relational and societal identity can be interpreted in terms of the distinction between open and closed domains of identity. In order to test the second assumption of the developmental hypothesis, the patterns of identity development were investigated for the first time in identity status research using log-linear analyses. A number of the status transitions proposed by the developmental hypothesis do not occur, and the developmental pathways are also less comprehensive. We found no indications that identity development proceeds faster in a certain period of adolescence than in other periods. However, the stability of relational identity increases, particularly in postadolescence, and a slow development of identity results in a lower level of psychological well-being.

La fin des grands projets : le développement de l’identité dans le champ du travail comme navigation à vue

It is generally accepted that finding a place in the working world is very important for identity development. Given that adolescents nowadays have to face a fragilization of the job market, the question of how this experience affects adolescent identity development is discussed. It will be shown that the work domain remains very important for identity development, and even more so as other social models of meaning making have vanished in the course of social individualization. Drawing on data from a longitudinal study based on J. E. Marcia’s Identity Status Model, various identity strategies are discussed with regard to their functional value for identity development under the actual conditions of the job market. The identity strategy of adaptive diffusion seems to be quite functional when facing an unclear situation. It is proposed that a theoretical approach that looks at individual biographical trajectories and self narratives might be useful for further research.

Studies on identity development in adolescence: An overview of research and some new data

The fundamental developmental hypothesis of the identity status model is that as adolescents become older they undergo progressive developmental shifts in identity status: from diffusion to foreclosure or moratorium, from foreclosure to moratorium, and from moratorium to identity achievement. In Study I we give an overview of identity status studies carried out during the period 1966–1993 and show that progressive developmental trends (PDTs) are found in most of these studies. However, they usually involve progressive developmental trends in one of the higher or lower statuses (PDT 1), while only a small minority involve systematic progressive developmental trends, i.e., in at least three statuses (PDT≥3). It is easier to show progressive developmental trends with separate measures for commitment and exploration than with identity status classification. Study II reports on our own research into relational identity, measured with a new instrument: the Utrecht-Groningen Identity Development Scale (U-GIDS). Application of the U-GIDS allows the construction of four statuses: diffusion, moratorium, closed commitment and achieving commitment. For these four statuses progressive developmental trends were found for relational identity in both one of the higher and one of the lower statuses. The four statuses of our model display exactly the same connection with psychological well-being as the statuses of Marcia's model. The high commitment statuses show the highest level of psychological well-being, followed by the diffusions, while the moratoriums are the least happy. This result offers a new perspective on moratorium as a high identity status. Finally it was found that the differences in psychological well-being among the statuses become greater as adolescents become older.

The Differentiation of "Firm" and "Developmental" Foreclosure Identity Statuses

The present exploratory study was undertaken for the purpose of empirically differentiating 'firm "from "developmental "foreclosure subjects in the Marcia ego identity status modeL A total of 131 university students volunteeredfor the first phase of this study in 1990. Each was administered the Marcia Identity Status Interview, foursubscales of the Separation-Individuation Test of Adolescence (SJTA), and an Early Memories Interview. Of the participants, 80 were reassessed 2 years later on the same measures. Firm foreclosure subjects (who retained their foreclosure rating over 2 years) had higher nurturance seeking scores than did developmental foreclosure, moratorium, and achieved individuals at the outset of the study. Firm foreclosure participants also had more frequent early memory themes of seeking security at the outset of the study than did developmentalforeclosure, moratorium, or achieved subjects. The ability to differentiate firm from developmental foreclosure late adolescents holds important implications for theory construction andfuture research.