Role Of Construction Of Identity In Adolescence

Construction of Identity in adolescence

Introduction:

Every child which is born goes through infancy, childhood, adulthood and adult. In each phase child learning level expands. One way can be social interaction, in a daily life of child interacts with family, peers, teachers, shopkeepers, attenders, bus conductors, strangers and so on. Schooling is considered as a practice which accomplishes for educating child. Hence by the age of 3 to 4 years children will be in nursery schools. Child interaction takes place other than schools, but child spend more time in school apart from his/her home where socialization happens with peers. The role of educational institutions thus becomes much larger than was previously envisaged in the development of the structures of formal education (Batra, 2013). So broadly schooling, peers and family adds rich experience in construction of one’s individual identity. The construction of self-identity can be through Social Comparison – The process of defining oneself in relation to one’s peers (Cole).

Let us examine child’s construction of identity during adolescence in Indian contexts

Erikson’s study on psycho-social development depicts child constructs identity through influence of surroundings. Since an individual’s likes and dislikes

High Self-Esteem during childhood has been linked to satisfaction happen in later life, while low Self-Esteem has been linked to depression, anxiety and mal-adjustment both in school and social relations’ (Cole). The sense of self and how individual see himself is key in maintaining relationships with family, peers and other social interactions. The relation between child and society related to child’s construction of identity. So the balanced between inferiority and superiority is very significant.

Let us take 2 illustrations which provides instances of how construction of identity happens between low self-esteem and high