Chapter 11 - The Self and Identity

Question 1

Self

Answer 1

All of the characteristics of a person.

Question 2

Self-Understanding

Answer 2

A child’s cognitive representation of the self—the substance and content of a child’s self-conceptions.

Question 3

Five main characteristics of self-understanding in young children

Answer 3

• Confusion of self, mind, and body
• Concrete descriptions
• Physical descriptions
• Active descriptions
• Unrealistic positive overestimations

Question 4

Five key changes in self-evaluation in middle/late childhood

Answer 4

• Psychological characteristics and traits
• Social descriptions
• Social comparison
• Real self and ideal self
• Realistic

Question 5

7 aspects of adolescence self-understanding

Answer 5

• Abstract and idealistic
• Self-consciousness
• Contradictions within the self
• The fluctuating self
• Real and ideal selves
• Social comparison
• Self-integration

Question 6

Possible Self

Answer 6

What an individual might become, would like to become, and is afraid of becoming.

Question 7

Social Cognition

Answer 7

The processes involved in understanding the world around us, especially how we think and reason about other people.

Question 8

Perspective Taking

Answer 8

The social cognitive process involved in assuming the perspective of others and understanding their thoughts and feelings.

Question 9

Self-Esteem

Answer 9

The global evaluative dimension of the self; also called self-worth or self-image.

Question 10

Self-Concept

Answer 10

Domain-specific self-evaluations of the self

Children can make self-evaluations in many domains of their lives—academic, athletic, physical appearance, and so on.

Question 11

Identity

Answer 11

Who a person is, representing a synthesis and integration of self-understanding.

Question 12

Psychosocial Moratorium

Answer 12

Erikson’s term for the gap between childhood security and adult autonomy that adolescents experience as part of their identity exploration.

Question 13

Crisis

Answer 13

A period of identity development during which the adolescent is choosing among meaningful alternatives.

Question 14

Commitment

Answer 14

Personal investment in identity.

Question 15

Identity Diffusion

Answer 15

Marcia’s term for the status of individuals who have not yet experienced a crisis (that is, they have not yet explored meaningful alternatives) or made any commitments.

Question 16

Identity Foreclosure

Answer 16

Marcia’s term for the status of individuals who have made a commitment but have not experienced a crisis.

Question 17

Identity Moratorium

Answer 17

Marcia’s term for the status of individuals who are in the midst of a crisis but whose commitments either are absent or are only vaguely defined.

Question 18

Identity Achievement

Answer 18

Marcia’s term for the status of individuals who have undergone a crisis and made a commitment.

Question 19

4 statuses of identity, or ways of resolving the identity crisis

Answer 19

• Identity diffusion
• Identity foreclosure
• Identity moratorium
• Identity achievement.

Question 20

Individuality

Answer 20

Consists of 2 dimensions

Self-assertion: the ability to have and communicate a point of view

Separateness: the use of communication patterns to express how one is different from others.

Question 21

Connectedness

Answer 21

Consists of 2 dimensions

Mutuality: sensitivity to and respect for others’ views

Permeability: openness to others’ views

Question 22

Ethnic Identity

Answer 22

An enduring aspect of the self that includes a sense of membership in an ethnic group, along with the attitudes and feelings related to that membership.

Question 23

Bicultural Identity

Answer 23

Identity formation that occurs when adolescents identify in some ways with their ethnic group and in other ways with the majority culture.

Question 24

3 aspects of understanding others in adolescence

Answer 24

Perspective taking, perceiving others’ traits, social cognitive monitoring

Question 25

4 identity status’ based on crisis and commitment

Answer 25

Identity diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, and achievement