Harke A. Bosma

Identity Development-in-Context: The School as an Important Context for Identity Development

The main aim of this research was to study adolescent identity development in the school context. The school is important in how students see themselves, their behavior, and their learning achievements. Similar influences could be expected with regard to the development of identity in adolescence. To study identity development-in-context, a French paper-and-pencil adaptation of the Groningen Identity Development Scale (GIDS; Bosma, 1985) was made. The sample (N = 311) was composed of students of 8th-grade classes from three schools that differed in terms of their students’ demographic characteristics. The different measures concerned the students’ academic status, school experience (school self-image, school strategies, and integration), and identity in terms of exploration and commitment. First, the French adaptation of the GIDS led to a reliable and valid measure. Second, the results showed that the school context played an important role in the student’s identity development, and at the same time, they underlined the role of the school experience as a personal resource in the development of identity. This study demonstrates, in line with Baumeister and Muraven’s (1996) assertion, that identity is an adaptation to the school context, but also that the school system adapts to its students.

Development of meaning making : A dynamic systems approach

Abstract The development of meaning making can be seen as a central aspect of the development of self and identity in adolescence and adulthood. Current theories in this area offer descriptions of different developmental stages, but little is known about the factors and mechanisms involved in the developmental process. In this article a conceptual model is presented of these factors and mechanisms. Because descriptive models are too general to permit detailed descriptions of the process or the formulation of specific hypotheses for the validation of the model, the model has been translated into a quantitative dynamic systems model which allows the developmental process to be simulated. The developmental trajectories generated by the model can be compared with the theoretical ideas and empirical data concerning the development of meaning making. The simulated trajectories of the development of meaning making show a good fit with both the theory and the available data. This means that the assumptions about the factors and mechanisms in the developmental process on which the model has been based have at least some validity. In addition, the simulations generate new hypotheses about the process. It is concluded that quantitative dynamic systems models offer a useful way of exploring the validity of theoretical notions about developmental processes.

All they need is love? Placing romantic stress in the context of other stressors: A 17-nation study:

The present study focuses on romantic stress and coping styles in the context of identity and future-related stressors in 8,654 adolescents with a mean age of M = 15.3; SD = 1.84. The adolescents from 17 countries were grouped into seven regions, i.e., Mid-Europe, Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, South Africa, South America, and the Middle East. Future-related stressors were perceived as being more stressful than romantic stressors by all adolescents, irrespective of the region in which they lived. Identity-related stressors were of greater concern to adolescents from South Africa, South America, and the Middle East. Romantic stress was much higher in adolescents from Mid-Europe and Southern Europe compared to adolescents from other regions. Roughly 80% of all adolescents employed adaptive coping styles in that they negotiated with the romantic partner, sought support from friends and others, and shared an overall positive outlook. Adolescents from Mid-, Northern, and Eastern Europe were the most active in negotiating and support-seeking when dealing with romantic stressors.

Family Functioning and Identity Status in Adolescence

In this study the relationship between aspects of family functioning and the achievement of identity in adolescence is investigated. Three family interaction variables, namely, adolescent autonomy, parental attitudes towards adolescent autonomy, and percentage of speaking time of each family member are derived from observation of 27 families (parents and adolescent child) in a problem solving task and related to the adolescent identity status. Identity status is separately scored for six content areas. Psychometric analyses show that the scores of the six areas can be combined into one overall status. In general the findings indicate that identity status is related to the family interaction variables. In the discussion attention is paid to the usefulness of psychometric procedures in scoring the identity status interview.

Identity and Identity Processes: What are we talking about?

Identity is a controversial concept and there is no consensus about the phenomena it refers to. Though it is widely used by different researchers, others, because of its supposed vagueness, reject it as a useful scientific concept. It is used as a descriptive term— “adolescents are in an identity crisis”—but also as an explanation—“adolescence is a difficult period because adolescents have to achieve their own identity.”

Predicting change in relational identity commitments: Exploration vs. emotions

Exploration has long been assumed to be the primary mechanism behind changes in identity commitments. Conceptual and operational definitions of exploration emphasize the active role of the individual. In addition to this mechanism, we propose a model based on emotions to explain changes in relational identity commitments. To investigate the viability of this model, four individuals (aged 20-22 years) reported daily identity-relevant experiences for 5 months. The Groningen Identity Development Scale (Bosma, 1985) and a variant thereof were administered at the beginning and end of this period, respectively. The results challenge the primacy of exploration as a mechanism behind commitment changes, and reveal an important role for emotions in such changes.

Coping and Self in Adolescence

Coping and developmental tasks on the one hand and identity and self-concept on the other tend to form separate domains of research in (adolescent) psychology. In reviews of coping research, only a few references are made to work carried out in the domain of self-concept (e.g. Compas, 1987; Olbrich, 1984; Seiffge-Krenke, 1986a). Similarly, references from coping research are rarely found in reviews of the self-concept and identity literature (e.g. Marcia, 1980; Markus & Wurf, 1987; Van der Werff, 1985).

Social cognition in adolescence: A tribute to Sandy (A.E.) Jackson (1937-2003).

A complex of biological, cognitive and social changes characterizes the period of adolescence. All these changes affect and are affected by changes in young people’s social relations. Their relationships with parents become more symmetrical and the adolescents gain greater freedom to make their own decisions about their behaviour and personal commitments. At the same time relationships with peers become more significant. Within the context of all these changes adolescents may experiment with different roles, forms of relationships and ways of defining and presenting themselves to others. This experimentation can be seen as an essential part of achieving a sense of identity and committing oneself to adult roles and responsibilities. Several factors probably influence the course and outcome of this process. For example: earlier child-rearing experiences, negative as well as positive; the timing and social response to pubertal maturation; critical life events; or negative social learning experiences, leading to inadequate coping and social skills. In interaction with proximal and distal contextual factors (family, peers, school, the neighbourhood, labour market conditions), positive and negative pathways of social development emerge and develop further.