The 5th-Stage: The First Stage Of Erikson's 5th Stage

I have come to understand Erikson’s 5th stage as being the beginning stage of forming one’s authentic identity. As adolescents journey through their teenage years, they begin to “explore and discover” and ultimately ascertain and organize their abilities, proclivities, needs, interests, gender identity and sexual orientations and desires into their innate personalities in order to express them appropriately and productively in society. In short, the adolescent develops a sense of self. We want this sense of self to be an authentic and realistic, true sense of self.

Identities form throughout a person’s lifetime. Erikson suggested that the adolescent years mark the beginning of a life long journey of identity formation, providing Stages

A person’s authentic sense of self, which is his self-understanding, begins during his pre-teen years. The adolescent’s sense of self is based upon his childhood upbringing, his environment and the extent to which he has opportunities to explore and discover activities and interests in his life. In turn, this will mold his level of self –esteem and his self – concept, which he will carry forth into his adult years.

Throughout adolescence a teenager’s sense of self moves from the various roles he plays and the membership categories to which he belongs during the early teenage years to a sense of what makes him “tick” and how his proclivities, talents and interests translate into how he pictures himself in the adult world by his late teenage

For example, the short, overweight young teenager might have dreams of being a runway model. The emotionally healthy teen, ages 15 – 19 years, has more realistic self and realize that she doesn’t have the body type to be a runway model. However, on the other hand, the hurt teen will have a tendency to hang on to his idealistic (false) self. He will not be able to relate to himself in a realistic manner.

Adolescents will develop a sense of self, whether it is a true sense of self or a false sense of self. Carl Rogers argued that a strong discrepancy between the real and ideal selves is a sign of maladjustment. If there is too great of a discrepancy between a person’s real self and his ideal self, the self the person he wishes he were, the person will develop and produce a sense of failure and self-criticism and can even trigger depression.

Rogers (1950). The Significance of the Self- Regarding Attitude and Perceptions. McGraw Hill: New York.

Let’s think back to the young teen girl who wants to be a model. If she doesn’t come to realize that her 5 feet 2 inch body just doesn’t allow for it and accept this, she will be doomed to