Identity Vs Role Confusion Analysis

Erik Erikson, a psychologist, concludes that every person faces eight crises (stages) as he develops, and to solve these crises he must make a good or bad decision. Making more good decisions than bad decisions results in person moving forward to the next stage (Ewen, 2010). As a person who is nineteen years old, I believe that I am at the end of my fifth stage, Identity Vs. role confusion. To prove my previous statement, I will be talking about my friend, music, and fashion.
Friend
When a teenager is confused about his role, he might join the same group as his friend. Joining the same group will help him boost his confidence, but it will prevent him from being “true” to himself. (Hall, paraphrased in Allen, 2016). Throughout the middle school and the freshman year of my high school, I copied everything that my friend did because I was confused about my role. My friend joined the basketball team, and I followed him there, even though I did not know anything about the basketball. Joining the team did boost my confidence; I felt more comfortable approaching a girl. One day after the practice, my friend approached me and told me that I did not fit in the team because I was not as athletic as other members of my team. Also, he said that he was aware of the reason why I joined the team, so he gave me the advice to follow my heart, so I can be true to myself.
Music

In the 21st century, many parents do not spend enough time with their children to influence the children’s character, so the children turn to the media to find a person, who makes them feel good and relates to children’s situation (Allen, 2016).

After moving to the USA from

India,
my dad and I grew farther away from each other. My dad started working ten hours a day; seven days a week, and I had to go to the school in the morning, so my dad and I did not spend
enough time together. Not having enough influence of my dad, made me the exact the opposite of him. He is unselfish, and nice person. In contrast, I turned out to be sarcastic, and selfish. I believe that I got those characteristics from my favorite artist, Kanye West. I was introduced to Kanye’s music in sophomore year of my high school. The lyrics of his songs were egotistical, and it made me feel good about myself.
Fashion
In the adolescent, the person faces the constant feelings of affection for someone and internal chaos about himself, and this crisis can only be answered by getting attention by someone important to that person (Ewen, 2010). At the beginning of my junior year in high school, I had a constant feeling of affection for this one girl, and she was quite attractive and funny. She always dressed like she was going out somewhere. She always stood out because of her fashion. I wanted to ask this girl out, but I did not know the best way to approach her. I kept having internal chaos about myself like what I can do to become “attractive”, and what if she says no. To become “attractive” I decided that I should put more effort into my fashion just like her. I was able to get her attention, and she did compliment my shirt a few times throughout the year.

I agree with Erikson’s theory, and everything that he said about the fifth crisis was accurate in my situation. I believe that I was able to find my identity by making more good decisions than the bad decisions.