Identity 2

The theory of identity development has many different psychological viewpoints. Identity theorists believed that they could create benefits to the world through their study of identity development (Bosma, 1994). Today, Erikson’s (1963) theory remains one of the primary sources for identity development studies. Erikson believed that a person’s identity developed over time through many stages (Erikson, 1950). Erikson’s series of stages developed and built on each other (Erikson, 1963). This series of eight stages followed the epigenetic principle, building on one another and taking a piece of one stage to the next stage (Erikson, 1963). The incendiary stage that explodes the development of Erikson’s identity is Identity versus Identity Confusion (Erikson, 1963). However, the root of identity takes hold during the Trust versus Mistrust stage and grows until death. However, identity is first dealt with in the Identity versus Identity Confusion stage (Erikson, 1963). In the Identity versus Identity Confusion stage, a person first begins to question their true identity. According to Erikson, through this stage adolescents learn to deal with the effects of social conformity, as well as peer relationships in the face of their emerging uniqueness. In this stage, people view themselves as if they are unique beings, with important interpersonal relationships (Erikson, 1963). In the Identity versus Identity Confusion stage a person gives up certain ideas he or she has accepted in the past and takes on new, novel ideas (Erikson, 1963). The basic strength gained in identity development is fidelity. Fidelity is a belief of a certain view of the future (Erikson, 1982). This also includes the creation of a self-controlled perimeter within views of religion, society, and politics. In order to truly understand the concept of self in relation to religion, society, and politics a person must have the ability to make meaningful exchanges of ideas