Adolescents are involved in the difficult task of identifying themselves and making important life decisions. (Smits, Soenens, Vansteenkiste, Luyckx, & Goossens, 2010). The support from parents seems to greatly assist adolescents in their identity formation process. Two theories that have been used in research to examine adolescent identity are the psychosocial development of adolescents and Bandura’s social learning theory. Psychosocial development as theorized by Erikson has eight stages through which a healthily developing human should pass from infancy to late adulthood (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2010). Adolescents fall into stage five, Identity vs. Role Confusion, in which the question of “Who am I” is trying to be answered. In trying to discover the answer to this question adolescents tend to gravitate to groups they feel they fit into. Social learning theory focuses on the learning that occurs within a social context (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2010). Bandura’s theory considers that people learn from one another, including such concepts as observational learning, imitation, and modeling (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2010). These two theories will be used as a framework for this study. Both emphasize the importance of environmental influences as a basis for understanding the relationship between parents and adolescents. In early 1960, psychologist Diana Baumrind conducted a study in which she suggested that the majority of parents display one of four types of parenting styles (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2010). The construct of parenting style is used to capture normal variations in parents’ attempts to control and socialize their children (Darling, 1999). Two points are critical in understanding this definition. First, parenting style is meant to descri... ... middle of paper ... ...2006). Patterns of Competence and Adjustment Among Adolescents from Authoritative, Authoritarian, Indulgent, and Neglectful Homes: A Replication in a Sample of Serious Juvenile Offenders. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 16(1), 47-58. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2006.00119.x Vieno, A., Nation, M., Pastore, M., & Santinello, M. (2009). Parenting and antisocial behavior: A model of the relationship between adolescent self-disclosure, parental closeness, parental control, and adolescent antisocial behavior. Developmental Psychology, 45(6), 1509-1519. doi:10.1037/a0016929 Smits, I., Soenens, B., Vansteenkiste, M., Luyckx, K., & Goossens, L. (2010). Why Do Adolescents Gather Information or Stick to Parental Norms? Examining Autonomous and Controlled Motives behind Adolescents' Identity Style. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39(11), 1343-1356. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Lastly, we look at identity without knowing it adolescents are searching for the answers to the question, “who am I?”. Although this is an important part of development for this stage it didn’t just being in this stage nor do adolescents have the capability to figure it all out. While growing up children are pushed one way or another by parents and peers some are pushed towards academics while others athletics. But how influential are parents and peers?
The first topic I would like discuss is when adolescents start to form their identities. Although this ma...
According to Webster’s dictionary, the definition of parenting is of “the process of raising and educating a child from birth to adulthood.” Have you ever pondered on how different you would be if your parents would have raised you differently? Everyone was raised differently, therefore we all will be different types of parents. We may cherish the way our parents raised and disciplined us, so we’ll utilize those techniques when we become parents. On the other side, we may despise the way our parents raised and disciplined us, therefore we’ll create our own techniques based on what we would have preferred as a child when it comes to raising our children. As a 43 year old mother, I’m proud of the way my parents raised and disciplined me and I’m proud of the way I’ve raised my daughter, nieces and nephews. As a parent, I’ve constantly asked myself, “why is parenting so hard?” At one point in time, I wondered if a mother should automatically know how to handle and raise an infant, if this is her first child. There’s a conflict when it comes to parenting. There’s a significant difference between the biological needs of a child and cultural needs that have been placed by society. For starters, we cannot say that one particular way of parenting is “the right way”. Every parent should trust their techniques of parenting as the best as long as there is no abuse involved. Permissive parenting, Authoritarian parenting and authoritative parenting are the three main parenting styles. Each parenting style is different and produce different types of results. The next few paragraphs will give an overview of these techniques and we’ll be able to compare each.
Diana Baumrind, a developmental psychologist, was the first psychologist to identify parenting styles in 1967. The three parenting styles are authoritative, authoritarian and permissive. At one time, these three were the only parenting styles but later on, uninvolved parenting was added to the list of parenting styles. The four parenting styles are described on how much love, rules and the child’s behavior. Looking back to my childhood, I can see how all the parents showed the different parenting styles, including my parents.
Adolescence is a time of great change for a child. It is a time where they begin to explore who they are as individuals and develop their own identities as they get closer into adulthood. Erik Erikson theorized that in adolescence “the main task is developing an identity” and that a healthy identity is developed when they try on alternate identities and reflect on these experiences (Pressley & McCormick, 2007,p.147). Michael Nakkula says “identity is not the culmination of a key event or series of events, although key events can play an important role in the larger process. It is rather, the lived experience of an ongoing process-the process of integrating successes, failures, routines, habits, rituals, novelties, thrills, threats, violations, gratifications, and frustrations into a coherent and evolving interpretation of who we are. Identity is the embodiment of self-understanding” (Nakkula, 2008, p.11). The experiences that adolescents go through daily and over time influences the identity they eventually form. Adolescence is a time when children start to reflect on what they are good at, their relationships with family and friends, questions about sexual orientation and even religion. There are six domains that affect an adolescent’s development which are personal, social, familial, moral, and intellectual. I will be focusing on the social, intellectual and physical domains.
Within the realm of Communication and Parenting, it is apparent that most researches will refer to three main parenting styles: permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative parenting. Permissive parenting is described as a style in which parents exert minimal psychological control combined with high levels of affection. Authoritarian styles differ from this greatly, as it is defined as parenting with many demands and few expressions of affection. Authoritative parenting can be described as a balance of permissive and authoritarian styles. Authoritative parents have high expectations for their children, and they are able to effectively share ideals of love and respect. The essay “The Role of Parenting Styles in Children's Problem Behavior,”
Bosma. H. A. 11992). Identity in adolescence: Managing commitments. In G. R. Adams. T. P. Gullotta,
During Diana Baumrind’s research as a developmental psychologist, she concluded that parents fall under three different styles of parenting: Authoritarian, Permissive, and Authoritative. Baumrind’s styles were based on how one disciplines and nurtures their child (Cherry, n.d., p. 1). Authoritarian parents make discipline the highest priority when raising their children. They do not see any grey area about discipline (Belsky, 2013, p. 205). Rules, and enforcement of rules, are never left up to discussion. Whatever the parent says must go and the child is expected to fully comply. The standards they have set must be lived up to without any exceptions (Cherry, n.d., p. 1). Because the parents are not focused on the child’s emotional needs the parents are often viewed as not very warm and loving (Belsky, 2013, p.205). Permissive parenting is the antithesis of Authoritarian parents. Belsky (2013) stated that permissive parents do not lay down strict rules or discipline. There are not high expectations of how a child should behave or perform. The parents focus is not on rules or reprimanding, but on the child’s own wants and happiness. The parents’ main focus is on nurturing the child’s emotional needs (p.205). In the Authoritative parenting style there are definitely rules and ideas of how the child should behave, but the parents take a more diplomatic approach to parenting. Nothing is ever set in stone and parents negotiate freely with their children about the rules and repercussions. Unlike the Authoritarian style of parenting, these parents have a balance of “both nurturing” and discipline. Parents still have expectations about their children, but understand that they ...
Biological influences combined with societal and social expectations contribute to how well people learn to adapt to their environments (2013). According to Erikson, there are eight stages of development. Within these states, there are different psychological, emotional and cognitive tasks. In order to adjust, individuals must learn to develop these tasks. During adolescence, Erikson states that each person needs to navigate through the development task of ‘‘Identity vs. Identity confusion ’’ (2013). He defined this task by stating that adolescent children must learn to develop a sense of self and establish independence. Prior to this stage of development, a person’s parents largely influence their identity. In this stage the adolescent children begin to explore and develop their identity outside of their parents’ influence (Hill, Bromell, Tyson, & Flint, 2007). Adolescents are generally more egocentric at this stage and have an increased sense of self-consciousness. They also have a strong desire to conform to peer influence and develop concerns regarding their appearance. They develop concern about their level of competence in relation to their peer group as well. As peer influence increases, during this stage, parental influence decreases (Ashford & LeCroy, 2013; Hill et. al, 2007). Conflict generally increases between parent and child at this stage of development (2007).
Jones, Cheryl. "Identity and Adolescents: How Adults Can Help." NCYL. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 May 2014. . fifth
Would you have come out different if your parents used a different parenting style? If you are considered “cool” now could you have come out a nerd if your parents would have used a different parenting style? “Parenting style is one of the primary determinants of your child’s outcome whether he succeeds, achieves, meets the challenges, flounders, gives up, or runs from or fails in handling life.” (6) The purpose of this paper is to describe the outcomes, processes, labor, and techniques of parenting in a psychological point of view. Parenting styles are defined as the “manner in which parents express their beliefs on how to be a good or bad parent.” (4) Each parenting style has its weaknesses and strengths. All parents incorporate love and limit in their style of parenting. There are four different types of parenting styles: authoritarian, permissive, democratic, and uninvolved parents.
According to Erikson’s psychosocial development theory, a major task occurs during adolescence is the resolution of identity crisis. At this stage, adolescents exhibit greater social consciousness and actively seek for a sense of identity. However, the process of identity exploration can be difficult for most teenagers. Some may experience peer pressure and conflicts with friends, while others may suffer from social exclusion (Hoffnung et al., 2016, p. 393). Additionally, teenagers are more inclined to test the social boundaries and often end up in risk-taking behaviours such as smoking, alcohol drinking and sexual activities. The engagement of risk-taking behaviours not only leads to immediate health consequences but could also possibly persist into adulthood (Sales & Irwin Jr,
According to Erikson, when adolescents are unable to find ownership of an identity, their lives can spiral off in several directions. In some ways they will reverse the role of their desire, slipping into a socially unacceptable role or a role that does not match who they wish to become (Feldman, 2012). Other teenagers will forego social interactions, leaving them to feel sad and alone in the world (Feldman, 2012). Teenagers thrive off of finding an identity to center themselves around, and when they fail to identify one, the adolescent crisis ensues (Feldman, 2012). There are several factors that can distract an adolescent from identifying a personal identity and pursuing a life of well-being...
A finding that emerges very strongly and consistently is that delinquents have very poor relationships with their parents” (Gove 303-304). The teens who commit crimes often lack a parental figure in their lives. These teens are not strictly overseen by their parents, and their parents rarely know what they are up to or what they are doing (Gove 303). “Poor parent-child relationships, lack of parental control, and erratic behavior of parents could be a product of juvenile misbehavior and the juvenile’s hostility towards his or her parents” (Gove 304). Teens that do not have a close relationship with their parents often resort to delinquency as a form of resentment. “The family as an institution plays a critical role in the socialization of children; as a consequence, parents presumably play a critical role in whether their children misbehave” (Gove 315). Parents play the biggest role in a child’s life because the parents have been with the child since birth. Parents shape, mold, and provide the foundation that a teen needs to make hard decisions and to live by a good m...
Adolescence refers to the transition period experienced by children that occur between childhood and adulthood (Shefer, 2011). Identity is first confronted in adolescence between the ages 12 – 19 years old, because of physical and hormonal changes in the body. It is also due to the introduction of formal operations in cognitive development and societal expectation that this contributes to an individual’s identity to be explored and established (McAdams, 2009). The forces within and outside (family, community) the individual that promote identity development usually create a sense of tension. The basic task is, in Erikson’s terms, “fidelity or truthfulness and consistency to one’s core self or faith in one’s ideology” (Fleming, 2004: 9), in a nutshell: "Who am I and where am I