James Marcia: Identity Development

Marcia Overview

-extended/ refined Erikson's model
-focused on adolscent development
-added notion of Erikson Identity Development -> stages consist of neither identity resolution nor confusion, but degree which one explored/ committed to an identity of life domains (voc

Are male and female the same?

- we are not the same
- women base identity on interpersonal relationships
- women deal with traditional gender issues when determing identity

What is the Identity Formation Process?

- ones sense of identity is determined by the choices/ commitments made regarding personal and social traits

Identity Formation involves the adaptation of...?

1. sexual orientation
2. set of values and ideals
3. a vocational direction

What are the differences b/w less developed identities and well-developed identities?

- less developed identities are not able to define personal weaknesses/ strengths
- well-developed identities have a greater sense of one's own strengths, weaknesses and uniqueness

Marcia's Theory of Identity Achievement argued that...?

- argues that 2 distinct parts from an adolescent's identity:
1. crisis (time when one's values/ choices are being reevaluated) and
2. commitment

What is an Identity Crisis?

- a time of upheaval where old values are being reexamined
- the end outcome of a crisis leads to a commitment made to a certain role/ value

What are the 3 areas of Identity that are important?

- Identity involves the adoption of:
1. sexual orientation
2. set of values and ideals
3. vocational direction

In Identity Development, what is commitment?

- when adolescents show a personal investment in what they are going to do

To understand Identity Formation process, Marcia conducted interviews with young people. He asked the participants if they had...?

1. established a commitment to an occupation and ideology
2. had experienced, or were presently experiencing, a decision-making period (adolescent identity crisis)

What are Marcia's Identity Statuses?

1. Identity Diffusion
2. Identity Foreclosure
3. Identity Moretorium
4. Idenity Achievement

Identity Diffusion

- people in this state have not committed to an identity and they have not put effort into the exploration of identities.
- not made commitment

Identity Foreclosure

- people in this state have never experienced an identity crisis, however, they have prematurely conformed to an identity.
- Foreclosure is a status with no exploration and an identity has been achieved.
(ex. a person who chooses to follow along with the

Identity Moratorium

- people in this state have begun to experiment but they are still weighing their options and have not yet achieved an identity.
- they are considered in an identity crisis
(ex. people in college who have not yet declared a major but are taking all the ge

Identity Achievement

- this is a state of having decided on an identity after careful consideration and exploration of options
- have gone through crisis