Individuality: A Rollercoaster Of Change In Adolescence

Perhaps one of the most influential periods of life and development, adolescence brings with it a rollercoaster of change. This duration of time throughout the teenage years is when individuals begin to form an understanding of who they are, and who they want to be, through various avenues of self-exploration. High brain plasticity throughout adolescence contributes to the rapid social, cognitive, emotional, and biological changes that take place during these crucial years, as the brain is more susceptible to its environment. The combination of all of these adjustments leads to the construction of a sense of individuality; schemas of “who I am” are built as adolescents experiment with and explore their environments, social circles, relationships,

This distinction of social relationships taking precedence over family is a reflection of an emerging sense of self, as he spends more time with peers, exploring who they are, than with his family. Will did not know what his family believed regarding religion, while he stated a belief in “Darwinism, like evolution,” reflecting his interest in science, and demonstrating that his ideals and beliefs were not just handed down to him by his parents like a family car, but he has thought for himself and has constructed his own beliefs. I evaluated Will’s identity development progress through Erikson’s theory of Identity versus Role Confusion, using two criteria, exploration and commitment, to pinpoint his identity status out of the four primary conditions. Based on responses provided to questions regarding his plans for the future, current personality, and beliefs, Will appears to be in the Identity Moratorium stage, where he is experiencing a “delay or holding pattern” regarding his identity. He has “not yet made definite commitments,” but is in the process of exploring and trying out new activities to find principles off which to live the rest of his life. This self-exploration process is a primary theme of forming an identity. While Will is sure

Some of the facets of identity construction include “defining who you are, what you value, and the direction you choose to pursue in life.” In contrast, role confusion is defined by a “lack of direction and self definition” which results in a person being “unprepared for the challenges of adulthood.” Will appears to be on track to composing a stable identity; he attested to having a good sense of who he is as a person, stating “I am myself, so I don’t think anybody could know me better than I know myself,” and not partaking in the same risky behavior as his friends do, since he does not “do too many things to jeopardize [his] future.” While still in the midst of resolving the Identity versus Role Confusion conundrum, Will does not feel he has truly encountered an identity “crisis.” When asked if he had ever faced this kind of crisis, Will stated, “Like who I am? Maybe...I don’t know. I have definitely not known what I wanted to do at times, but crisis is a very strong word.” With plans to attend college and a major already chosen, Will is in limbo currently between discovering his identity that he will carry with him into adulthood and lacking a concrete direction in which he wants his life to