- What is IDENTITY?
(Wikipedia)
Erikson's psychosocial theory of identity
(by Associate Professor George Oduro, Professor John MacBeath)
Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development is one of the best-known theories of personality in psychology. Much like Sigmund Freud, Erikson believed that personality develops in a series of stages. Unlike Freud's theory of psychosexual stages, Erikson's theory describes the impact of social experience across the whole lifespan. One of the main elements of Erikson's psychosocial stage theory is the development of ego identity. Ego identity is the conscious sense of self that we develop through social interaction. According to Erikson, our ego identity is constantly changing due to new experiences and information we acquire in our daily interactions with others.
When psychologists talk about identity, they are referring to all of the beliefs, ideals, and values that help shape and guide a person's behavior. The formation of identity is something that begins in childhood and becomes particularly important during adolescence, but it is a process that continues throughout life. Our personal identity gives each of us an integrated and cohesive sense of self that endures and continues to grow as we age.
In addition to ego identity, Erikson also believed that a sense of competence motivates behaviours and actions. Each stage in Erikson's theory is concerned with becoming competent in an area of life. If the stage is handled well, the person will feel a sense of mastery, which is sometimes referred to as ego strength or ego quality. If the stage is managed poorly, the person will emerge with a sense of inadequacy. In each stage, Erikson believed people experience a conflict that serves as a turning point in development. In Erikson's view, these conflicts are centered on either developing a psychological quality or failing to develop that quality. During these times, the potential for personal growth is high, but so is the potential for failure.
Below is a broad introduction to the main features of Erikson's model. This summary attempts to show the main points of the Erikson psychosocial crisis theory of human development.
(by Associate Professor George Oduro, Professor John MacBeath)
Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development is one of the best-known theories of personality in psychology. Much like Sigmund Freud, Erikson believed that personality develops in a series of stages. Unlike Freud's theory of psychosexual stages, Erikson's theory describes the impact of social experience across the whole lifespan. One of the main elements of Erikson's psychosocial stage theory is the development of ego identity. Ego identity is the conscious sense of self that we develop through social interaction. According to Erikson, our ego identity is constantly changing due to new experiences and information we acquire in our daily interactions with others.
When psychologists talk about identity, they are referring to all of the beliefs, ideals, and values that help shape and guide a person's behavior. The formation of identity is something that begins in childhood and becomes particularly important during adolescence, but it is a process that continues throughout life. Our personal identity gives each of us an integrated and cohesive sense of self that endures and continues to grow as we age.
In addition to ego identity, Erikson also believed that a sense of competence motivates behaviours and actions. Each stage in Erikson's theory is concerned with becoming competent in an area of life. If the stage is handled well, the person will feel a sense of mastery, which is sometimes referred to as ego strength or ego quality. If the stage is managed poorly, the person will emerge with a sense of inadequacy. In each stage, Erikson believed people experience a conflict that serves as a turning point in development. In Erikson's view, these conflicts are centered on either developing a psychological quality or failing to develop that quality. During these times, the potential for personal growth is high, but so is the potential for failure.
Below is a broad introduction to the main features of Erikson's model. This summary attempts to show the main points of the Erikson psychosocial crisis theory of human development.
Helping Your Children Develop a Strong Sense of Identity
(by Associate Professor George Oduro, Professor John MacBeath)
(adapted from Motley Rose, http://voices.yahoo.com/helping-children-develop-strong-sense-identity-8418135.html?cat=25)
Helping your child develop a strong sense of self is important, because it will help them grow up to be successful adults. A successful adult knows their position and purpose within society, and at home, while maintaining their individual identity. It is not possible to teach your child who they are. That is something they must learn on their own. You can however, point them in the right direction.
Getting your child to talk to you, is a good first step. For older children, this may be a little more difficult, but younger children are usually full of information about themselves that they are willing to share. All you have to do is listen, and accept who they are, even if you don't agree. Scott M. Shannon M.D. Suggests that we try to accept the words, facial expressions, and the likes, and dislikes of our children as long as they are reasonable, and will cause them no physical, or emotional harm. Here are a few more simple guidelines to follow.
Practice Forgiveness
This means to give, and to ask for forgiveness when it is due. If your child makes a mistake, and you overreact, it is important to not only forgive the child for the mistake, but ask the child to forgive you for your overreaction. After all is forgiven, it helps to offer them a way to solve the issue. Doing this will strengthen trust between you and your child, and help them learn problem solving skills, and the importance of taking responsibility for their actions.
Correct Your Child's Behavior, Not Who They Are
Avoid using statement like, "You are rude." Instead, say something like, "That was a rude thing to say," and offer your child an example of something more appropriate. Likewise, it is best that when you praise your child, you praise them for who they are and not what they do. A good example of this, is instead of saying, " I'm proud of you for getting good grades," it is better to say, " You are so smart! Look at these grades!" Doing this will help them understand that what they do is a result of who they are, and this will help them strive to show who they are through their actions, more often.
Use Discipline, Not Punishment
Discipline is the act of teaching a child what they should do, and punishment is the act of trying to scare them out of bad behavior. Avoid using healthy habits only as a punishment, because doing so will make them less likely to practice healthy habits on their own later in life. Make your rules clear, and convey the message that you are working with them to help them grow into happy and productive adults. If you really feel that you have to punish your child, it is always best to remove privileges, rather than force them to do more chores. Try not to overdo any sort of punishment. Doing so will cause it to quickly lose effect.
Tell Your Child What They Can Do
Always try to vocalize what your child should do instead of what they should not. For example, Saying "Keep your mouth closed while you are chewing," is better than saying "Don't talk with your mouth full." Doing this will help your children understand your demands clearly, and help them learn effective communication skills. An example of this type of message is, "I feel disgusted when I see food in someone's mouth. I need you to keep your mouth closed when you are chewing, please."
Help Them Learn Emotional Stability
Learn what triggers your child emotionally, and help them deal with those triggers. Always try to respect your child's feelings, and even if you don't agree with them, don't make your child hide the way they feel. It is also helpful to teach your child an emotional vocabulary, by asking them how they feel, and asking them what they can do to improve their mood. Doing this will teach them to automatically keep track of their own emotions, and work to keep them in check.
Teach Them to Find Help
Teach your child to find, and ask for appropriate help. Your children need to know that even though it is important to be an individual, it is still very important to find, and ask for appropriate help when they need it. Praise your children for getting the help they need.
Problems take time and effort to solve. Helping your children develop a strong sense of self-identity will give them an advantage against any problem that comes their way. Knowing who they are, will help them live life with more optimism, and greater success, because they will understand that they are in control of their lives. Helping your child develop a strong sense of self is important, because it will help them grow up to be successful adults. A successful adult knows their position and purpose within society, and at home, while maintaining their individual identity. It is not possible to teach your child who they are. That is something they must learn on their own. You can however, point them in the right direction.
Getting your child to talk to you, is a good first step. For older children, this may be a little more difficult, but younger children are usually full of information about themselves that they are willing to share. All you have to do is listen, and accept who they are, even if you don't agree. We should try to accept the words, facial expressions, and the likes, and dislikes of our children as long as they are reasonable, and will cause them no physical, or emotional harm.
Practice Forgiveness
This means to give, and to ask for forgiveness when it is due. If your child makes a mistake, and you overreact, it is important to not only forgive the child for the mistake, but ask the child to forgive you for your overreaction. After all is forgiven, it helps to offer them a way to solve the issue. Doing this will strengthen trust between you and your child, and help them learn problem solving skills, and the importance of taking responsibility for their actions.
Correct Your Child's Behavior, Not Who They Are
Avoid using statement like, "You are rude." Instead, say something like, "That was a rude thing to say," and offer your child an example of something more appropriate. Likewise, it is best that when you praise your child, you praise them for who they are and not what they do. Doing this will help them understand that what they do is a result of who they are, and this will help them strive to show who they are through their actions, more often.
Use Discipline, Not Punishment
Discipline is the act of teaching a child what they should do, and punishment is the act of trying to scare them out of bad behavior. Avoid using healthy habits only as a punishment, because doing so will make them less likely to practice healthy habits on their own later in life. Make your rules clear, and convey the message that you are working with them to help them grow into happy and productive adults. If you really feel that you have to punish your child, it is always best to remove privileges, rather than force them to do more chores. Try not to overdo any sort of punishment. Doing so will cause it to quickly lose effect.
(by Associate Professor George Oduro, Professor John MacBeath)
(adapted from Motley Rose, http://voices.yahoo.com/helping-children-develop-strong-sense-identity-8418135.html?cat=25)
Helping your child develop a strong sense of self is important, because it will help them grow up to be successful adults. A successful adult knows their position and purpose within society, and at home, while maintaining their individual identity. It is not possible to teach your child who they are. That is something they must learn on their own. You can however, point them in the right direction.
Getting your child to talk to you, is a good first step. For older children, this may be a little more difficult, but younger children are usually full of information about themselves that they are willing to share. All you have to do is listen, and accept who they are, even if you don't agree. Scott M. Shannon M.D. Suggests that we try to accept the words, facial expressions, and the likes, and dislikes of our children as long as they are reasonable, and will cause them no physical, or emotional harm. Here are a few more simple guidelines to follow.
Practice Forgiveness
This means to give, and to ask for forgiveness when it is due. If your child makes a mistake, and you overreact, it is important to not only forgive the child for the mistake, but ask the child to forgive you for your overreaction. After all is forgiven, it helps to offer them a way to solve the issue. Doing this will strengthen trust between you and your child, and help them learn problem solving skills, and the importance of taking responsibility for their actions.
Correct Your Child's Behavior, Not Who They Are
Avoid using statement like, "You are rude." Instead, say something like, "That was a rude thing to say," and offer your child an example of something more appropriate. Likewise, it is best that when you praise your child, you praise them for who they are and not what they do. A good example of this, is instead of saying, " I'm proud of you for getting good grades," it is better to say, " You are so smart! Look at these grades!" Doing this will help them understand that what they do is a result of who they are, and this will help them strive to show who they are through their actions, more often.
Use Discipline, Not Punishment
Discipline is the act of teaching a child what they should do, and punishment is the act of trying to scare them out of bad behavior. Avoid using healthy habits only as a punishment, because doing so will make them less likely to practice healthy habits on their own later in life. Make your rules clear, and convey the message that you are working with them to help them grow into happy and productive adults. If you really feel that you have to punish your child, it is always best to remove privileges, rather than force them to do more chores. Try not to overdo any sort of punishment. Doing so will cause it to quickly lose effect.
Tell Your Child What They Can Do
Always try to vocalize what your child should do instead of what they should not. For example, Saying "Keep your mouth closed while you are chewing," is better than saying "Don't talk with your mouth full." Doing this will help your children understand your demands clearly, and help them learn effective communication skills. An example of this type of message is, "I feel disgusted when I see food in someone's mouth. I need you to keep your mouth closed when you are chewing, please."
Help Them Learn Emotional Stability
Learn what triggers your child emotionally, and help them deal with those triggers. Always try to respect your child's feelings, and even if you don't agree with them, don't make your child hide the way they feel. It is also helpful to teach your child an emotional vocabulary, by asking them how they feel, and asking them what they can do to improve their mood. Doing this will teach them to automatically keep track of their own emotions, and work to keep them in check.
Teach Them to Find Help
Teach your child to find, and ask for appropriate help. Your children need to know that even though it is important to be an individual, it is still very important to find, and ask for appropriate help when they need it. Praise your children for getting the help they need.
Problems take time and effort to solve. Helping your children develop a strong sense of self-identity will give them an advantage against any problem that comes their way. Knowing who they are, will help them live life with more optimism, and greater success, because they will understand that they are in control of their lives. Helping your child develop a strong sense of self is important, because it will help them grow up to be successful adults. A successful adult knows their position and purpose within society, and at home, while maintaining their individual identity. It is not possible to teach your child who they are. That is something they must learn on their own. You can however, point them in the right direction.
Getting your child to talk to you, is a good first step. For older children, this may be a little more difficult, but younger children are usually full of information about themselves that they are willing to share. All you have to do is listen, and accept who they are, even if you don't agree. We should try to accept the words, facial expressions, and the likes, and dislikes of our children as long as they are reasonable, and will cause them no physical, or emotional harm.
Practice Forgiveness
This means to give, and to ask for forgiveness when it is due. If your child makes a mistake, and you overreact, it is important to not only forgive the child for the mistake, but ask the child to forgive you for your overreaction. After all is forgiven, it helps to offer them a way to solve the issue. Doing this will strengthen trust between you and your child, and help them learn problem solving skills, and the importance of taking responsibility for their actions.
Correct Your Child's Behavior, Not Who They Are
Avoid using statement like, "You are rude." Instead, say something like, "That was a rude thing to say," and offer your child an example of something more appropriate. Likewise, it is best that when you praise your child, you praise them for who they are and not what they do. Doing this will help them understand that what they do is a result of who they are, and this will help them strive to show who they are through their actions, more often.
Use Discipline, Not Punishment
Discipline is the act of teaching a child what they should do, and punishment is the act of trying to scare them out of bad behavior. Avoid using healthy habits only as a punishment, because doing so will make them less likely to practice healthy habits on their own later in life. Make your rules clear, and convey the message that you are working with them to help them grow into happy and productive adults. If you really feel that you have to punish your child, it is always best to remove privileges, rather than force them to do more chores. Try not to overdo any sort of punishment. Doing so will cause it to quickly lose effect.
Thinkpieces
Do you say that a child has an identity
that is different from the adult ?
Do you say that a child has an identity
that is different from the adult ?
Identity and Belonging
Early Childhood Curriculum Framework
Early Childhood Curriculum Framework
Why Children have to go to school ?
My reasons why it is so important that children go to school are the following:
1. Learn how to interact with others (teachers, students…) socially
2. Learn social, emotional and physical basics and develop them
3. Gain new academic skills
4. Gain new academic knowledge
5. Create own identity by developing self-esteem/self-confidence
6. Learn discipline and following instruction of others
Girls and Boys
Fun video to watch about the still existing stigmas and expectations of girls/boys :-)
Would you let your boy wear a dress and your girl a Spiderman costume?
YES !!!
UNGEI (United Nations Girls' Education Initiative)
on 'How does Girls' and Boys; Equality in education helps us all?'
Did you know that:
1. In South Asia, a girl from a urban rich household has almost 7 times more chance of attending secondary school than a girl from a rural poor household?
2. Mother tongue-based education helps children perform better, feel more confident and stay in school longer?
3. Equal access to quality education affects woman throughout their lives, including reduced possibilities for economic independence through participation in the labour market?
4. Girl's interest and participation in math and science is negatively impacted at an early age by the stereotype that boys are better in these subjects?
5. Access to physical education and sports increases confidence and social integration fr girls and women, while also breaking down prejudices that contributes to women's social vulnerability?
6. Domestic work typically undertaken by girls aged 8-12, can be as detrimental children as work done outside the home and it is reported to be reason that one-third of out-of-school children do not attend school?
7. Women have less than 20% share of political decision-making power in the Asia Pacific region?
8. Asia-Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education projects shows that in 2015 the percentage of illiterate women will be the same as in 1985?
9. Almost two-thirds of out-of-school girls globally belong to ethnic minority groups in their own country?
10. Female teachers can play a critical role in girls' success in education? female teachers serve as role models and cam act as enabling agents for promoting female education from within the system, by representing female perspectives and needs, and facilitating a more girl-friendly learning environment!
11. School education can positively influence young minds towards equal treatment of men and women and instill ideas that can assist in halting the cycle of violence?
12. The realization of the right to education is essential to women being able to enjoy all their human rights? Education paves the way out of poverty and disemployment , and opens up opportunities for participation in political decision-making.
on 'How does Girls' and Boys; Equality in education helps us all?'
Did you know that:
1. In South Asia, a girl from a urban rich household has almost 7 times more chance of attending secondary school than a girl from a rural poor household?
2. Mother tongue-based education helps children perform better, feel more confident and stay in school longer?
3. Equal access to quality education affects woman throughout their lives, including reduced possibilities for economic independence through participation in the labour market?
4. Girl's interest and participation in math and science is negatively impacted at an early age by the stereotype that boys are better in these subjects?
5. Access to physical education and sports increases confidence and social integration fr girls and women, while also breaking down prejudices that contributes to women's social vulnerability?
6. Domestic work typically undertaken by girls aged 8-12, can be as detrimental children as work done outside the home and it is reported to be reason that one-third of out-of-school children do not attend school?
7. Women have less than 20% share of political decision-making power in the Asia Pacific region?
8. Asia-Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education projects shows that in 2015 the percentage of illiterate women will be the same as in 1985?
9. Almost two-thirds of out-of-school girls globally belong to ethnic minority groups in their own country?
10. Female teachers can play a critical role in girls' success in education? female teachers serve as role models and cam act as enabling agents for promoting female education from within the system, by representing female perspectives and needs, and facilitating a more girl-friendly learning environment!
11. School education can positively influence young minds towards equal treatment of men and women and instill ideas that can assist in halting the cycle of violence?
12. The realization of the right to education is essential to women being able to enjoy all their human rights? Education paves the way out of poverty and disemployment , and opens up opportunities for participation in political decision-making.