SOCIAL CONSTRCTIONIST PERSPECTIVE

The social constructionist perspective suggests that identities are constructed through language and social relations



The social constructionist perspective suggests that identities are constructed through language and social relations

Introduction

The process of attaching meaning to the concept of identity is arguably a subjective one. Is an individual's identity a self-perception, or should identity be considered more in terms of a summary view of how others perceive an individual? If an individual identifies themselves as holding certain characteristic traits, yet others do not associate those traits with that individual, then what is that individual's true identity? Similarly, if an individual may hold personal beliefs that they choose not to project onto their public persona, do those beliefs form part of that person's identity? Further to these questions, there are issues with regard to the classification systems that should be applied to identity (Poerksen, 2004, 25).

For example, should emphasis be placed on an individual's gender, or perhaps sexual orientation? Are such identifications only relevant in certain situations? The concept of identity is a complicated and it can perhaps be suggested that no general approach to identity can be made. However, two key questions can be raised. Do individual's hold a core-identity, a fundamental set of characteristics true to that person which do not change according to social situation, or should more emphasis be placed on social identity (or identities) rather than personal identity? Secondly, when and why is individual's identity realised or developed? I shall now consider two different psychological approaches to these questions.

Psychosocial theories of identity are part of the wider theory of psychosocial development as articulated by Erik Erikson. Although Erikson saw the formation of identity as a lifelong developmental process which passes from infancy to late adulthood, he considered it to be particularly important during adolescence, the fifth psychosocial stage.

Discussion and Analysis

If asked most people would have an opinion about identity and what it means to them. In this essay two different approaches are outlined which are Psychosocial theory by Eric Erickson and James Marcia and the Social Constructionist theory which as 'diverse origins in a number disciplines and as many perspectives'.

In Psychosocial theory Erickson believed that identity was constantly evolving along a path of 'lifelong developmental process' and would come into conflict with polar opposite characteristics e.g. trust vs. mistrust. He called these conflicts 'normative crisis' and thought most people suffered at some stage in their life. In conjunction with this he developed 'eight developmental stages of identity' with each stage being a building block of development on the last one; refer to. Erickson viewed the adolescent stage to be crucial in forming ego identity: the opposite outcome is role diffusion. Role diffusion is 'Failure to achieve a secure ego identity' (Phoenix, 2004, p56). The Adolescent stage gave a period of psychosocial moratorium, which introduces young people into an experimental phase while postponing major life decisions, this process continues through adolescence then identity crisis may occur.

James Marcia contributed to psychosocial by conducting Semi-structured interviews, which allows ...