Who developed the major definition of 'identity', what is it? and does it evolve as we develop and experience life changes? I am doing research on the long term impact of loss of a loved one (through death) on one's identity. I need to be more grounded in the background of how the concept/ theory of identity developed, major theorists and their discussions of identity. I am assuming it is not a 'static' concept. Any help will be most appreciated!

-- Susan A. Berger (saberger@erols.com), June 02, 2002

Answers

Check Erik H. Erikson on this one. In adolescence, the developmental goal is identity achievement, as opposed to identity diffusion.

Childhood and Society. New York: Norton, 1950. Identity and the Life Cycle. New York: Norton, 1980. Identity: Youth and Crisis. New York: Norton, 1968.

I found an article on "Identity" in the Baker Encyclopedie of Psychology & Counseling (Grand Rapids, MI: BakerBooks, 1999) and you'll probably find one in most encyclopedias of psychology.

You'll find a beautiful inter-weaving of indentiy, intimacy, integrity, and industry (all parts of Erikson's model) in G. Peter Schreck's book chapter on Personhood and Relational Life Tasks in Hendrika Vande Kemp (Ed.), Family Therapy: Christian Perspectives (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1991)

In terms of grief, specifically, check out the chapter on adolescent grief in All notes based on Charles A. Corr, Clyde M. Nabe, & Donna M. Corr. Death & dying, life & living (2nd ed.). (Brooks/Cole, 1997). The authors address all the developmental tasks of adolescence and how these are affected by loss.

-- Hendrika Vande Kemp (hendrika@earthlink.net), June 03, 2002.

For Susan.....Identity consists of 3 separate, constantly interacting units.....body, thought, and emotion.

Death of a loved one (especially of a child's mother) will have an immediate impact on the BODY which cripples its own major functions (breathing, movement, food-intake) to protect both THOUGHT and EMOTION from the more catastrophic awareness of a reality the child is unable to face.

A fascinating paper might evolve, if you would choose to describe the 3 identity units as they were before this event, followed by an explanation of how the subsequent "death of a loved one" impacted each unit, thereby resulting in a changed identity.

I hope that this will grond you :-)

-- visualize me (visualizeme@webtv.net), June 04, 2002.

I meant "ground" ....but there seems to be no edit-function here.

-- visualize me (visualizeme@webtv.net), June 04, 2002.

Identity is an alusive concept in psychology. On 'take' on identity works with the developmental theory, in that identity is never- static, since the 'identity' that percieve as "I" is always embedded in the totality of life experience, ans life, which is always in flux. Thus, identity develops over time, as a 'reaction'to those environmental stimuli that are presented (like thwe death of a loved one). how such an event is percieved by the particular individual is dependent upon all previous experience. In short, we are the sum total of all we have experienced.

-- Paul Crossett (pjc55@kvalley.com), June 05, 2002.