Department of Psychology

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Browsing Department of Psychology by Author "Alberts, Charl"

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    Die bruikbaarheid van Marcia se ego-identiteitstatusmodel in 'n Afrika-konteks
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1993) Alberts, Charl; Le Roux, J. A.; Meyer, J. C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Department of Psychology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It is no overstatement to say that South African society is in a state of turmoil and transition. Members of the black community experience many changes and challenges most intensely. Such circumstances undoubtedly pose a tremendous challenge to the most mature among us: to deal with it in a constructive way. How much more difficult would it be for young people in their formative years to come to grips with these circumstances? The present study was undertaken with a view to shedding some light on the process of identity development among a sample of male university students (in their first year) in an African context. Erikson's concept of identity formation was used as a frame of orientation for the study. His concept of "identity" should be understood against his theory of psychosocial development, as well as the broad perspective of psychoanalytic ego psychology. James Marcia's operationalization of Erikson 's concept of identity formation, the identity statuses, was used in the study. Marcia's identity statuses represent four ways of dealing with the identity crisis toward the end of the adolescent years. This methodology has stimulated a considerable amount of empirical studies over the past 28 years. It was kept in mind that Marcia's semi-structured interview was developed in a Western cultural setting and applied in a cross-cultural (African) context. The main aim of this study was to determine whether there will be significant differences among Marcia's identity statuses in relation to the variables personality dimensions, anxiety level, intellectual ability and academic performance. This goal also addresses the question of the validity of the construct of ego identity status when Marcia's "Ego Identity Status Interview" is applied in a non-Western cultural setting. A secondary aim of the study was to determine whether the concept of ego identity status, as measured by Marcia's lncomplete Sentences Blank (EI-ISB), will bear any relationship to the variables personality dimensions, level of anxiety, intelligence and academic performance. Other measuring instruments that were used in the study are the High School Personality Questionnaire (used as a measure of personality traits), the IPAT Anxiety Scale, and the Mental Alertness Test of the National lnstitute for Personnel Research's (NIPR) lntermediate Battery. Academic achievement was assessed through the use of the average end of year marks across the three best subjects. A sample of 110 male students, in their first year of study at the University of Fort Hare, was used in the investigation. The most important findings can he summarized as follows: The use of the individual content areas (occupation, religion and politics) of Marcia's semi-structured interview yielded more significant results in comparison to using the interview as a whole (global identity). The following findings were obtained in relation to the specific content areas: Occupational identity: Individuals in the moratorium status (actively grappling with occupational alternatives) displayed a higher degree of group dependence and a preference to he a "joiner" and a sound follower. In contrast to that, foreclosed adolescents (that have arrived at firm occupational commitments without passing through a decision-making period) measured higher on the dimension of self-sufficiency, they preferred their own decisions. and tended to be more resourceful, less intelligent and concrete thinking. Identity diffused individuals (that are uncommitted towards occupational goals) measured higher on emotional stability and ego strength, they were more calm, and faced reality better. The results in relation to the foreclosure and identity diffused statuses were in conflict with the results obtained in Western studies. Religious identity: Adolescents in the moratorium status (in the midst of a crisis period) displayed the following characteristics: doubting, individualistic, obstructive, reflective, internally restrained, unwilling to act, apprehensive. depressive", troubled and guilt prone, yet also more intelligent and abstract thinking. According to the data, foreclosures (adolescents that are committed to religious values without having passed through a crisis period) can he described as placid, confident, serene and untroubled. Adolescents in the identity diffusion status (confused about their religious identity) were more vigorous, zestful, they go with the group more readily, and they are given to action. Political identity: Adolescents in the higher identity statuses (identity achievement and moratorium) gave indications of higher levels of conscientiousness. perseverance, they were more rule-hound and have stronger superego strength. In opposition to this finding, identity diffused individuals (uncommitted to political ideals) were more expedient, they evade rules and feel few obligations, and they have displayed weaker superego strength. Adolescents in the foreclosure status (committed to political ideologies without having made these decisions in a personally meaningful way) measured lower on the index of intelligence, they were more concrete thinking, and they have performed significantly weaker in their academic work. Global identity: Adolescents in the foreclosure status (committed to identity-related goals without having passed through a decision-making period) were less intelligent and indicated higher levels of concrete thinking. A significant positive correlation ws established between ego identity, as measured on the "Ego Identity Incomplete Sentences Blank" (EI-ISB), and academic performance. It would appear from the present study that whereas some of the findings are congruent with findings obtained in Western settings, others are not. It is a valid question to ask whether these conflicting findings do not represent in an African context fundamentally different ways of resolving the identity crisis. More research is needed to answer this question.