Psychology: Do we have one core identity or multiple identities?

essay by cheryl yow

Question:
Does Erikson’s psychosocial theory explain identity better
than the social constructionist theory?




Psychologists are concerned with what makes us
distinctively ourselves and different from others.
Identity gives us the awareness of who we are and the
conscious continuous sense of being ourselves. Erikson’s
psychosocial theory and social constructionist theory of
identity agree that we are actively creating our identities
that are produced through social relations and there are
different aspects of our identities; however they differ in
their definition of identity – whether we have multiple
provisional identities or one stable core identity, is
identity solely social or is there a personal dimension
and do we construct or develop our identity? We will look
at what their theories advocate; the misguided view that
language is fundamental in constructing our identity
(social constructionist theory) and lastly I will attempt
to show that Erikson’s focus on the shaping of a core
identity in adolescence and its continuous development
throughout life is more convincing than Social
constructionist’s concept of having provisional multiple
identities that is constructed through language.


According to social constructionist theory, language is
fundamental in constructing our identities in our
everyday social interactions. There is no distinction
between personal and social identity. All identities are
social. Thus,we socially construct rather than develop our
identities. Our identity are multiples, provisional and
de-centred rather than singular, stable with a centred
core. On the other hand, Erikson’s psychosocial theory
shows that we have both a personal identity as well as
different aspects of our social identities. They are
interlinked because while we need to identify with a
group’s ideals we also need to be identified as a
distinct individual. Although we have a variety of
identities we integrate them into a coherent whole,
core, centred identity.



Erikson focus on continuity - the achievement of our
identity is a lifelong progressive process. In other
words, we develop rather than construct our identity.
Kenneth Gergen, a major social constructionist theorist,
gave an account of his childhood. He recounted how he grew
up with fountain pens and associated ‘pen’ with his
identity which meant ‘I am a writer’. He claimed that his
identity changed dramatically when he was given a computer
and only used his pen for signing. This recount is not
convincing. The essence of him is a writer - a writer is
someone who has creative, convincing ways of translating
ideas into words regardless of whether he writes or types,
his identity of a writer should not be defined solely by
‘pen’. In fact, Erikson’s theory would explain that he
developed his sense of a writer in his adolescence
through his mother’s inspirational writings and father’s
mathematical scribbles and that he was influenced by their
social status through publishing their works. Thus, his
personal identity as a writer was shaped and developed
through his adolescence rather then merely his association
with the word ‘pen’.



In addition, social constructionists cite a famous example
of Nelson Mandela, the first president of post-apartheid
South Africa to illustrate how we use language to construct
our identities. Nelson Mandela was defined as a ‘terrorist’
when he was imprisoned by the white South African state
and when he was released from prison he was redefined as
a ‘freedom fighter’ by the society. Although this does
illustrate language play an important role in communicating
our identity, it does not prove significantly that our
identity are solely dictated by words imposed on us by the
society, there must be a core dimension of us that decides
who we really are, beyond the masks we wear for the roles
we played in the society. There is a great difference
between the ‘roles’ we play in life and the real identity
we have.



When Nelson Mandela was in prison, stripped off his
‘multiple’ social identities and cut off from social
relations, was he just an empty shell without a core
identity or is there still a core identity within the
depth of him? If so, we cannot agree that ‘all identities
are social and not personal’. Although society labelled
Nelson Mandela as a ‘terrorist’ or a ‘freedom fighter’,
it is reasonable to think that there is a stable core
identity deep within him that decides his identity is
neither a ‘terrorist’ nor a ‘freedom fighter’ but perhaps
a ‘protector of human rights’ instead. Language is fluid
resulting in unstable and ambiguous definition of our
identity. Only the personal core identity in us is able
to redefine the essence of us more accurately.



This proves that language alone is not adequately sufficient
to construct our identities. As we do not have enough words
to express the complexity of human nature. Part of our inner
worlds may not be assessable to our consciousness. We use
only less than 5% of our brain, it is impossible to know
what lies beneath it. ‘Who am I?’ cannot be easily
constructed just by language even though we agree that
language helps us to communicate our identity.



Critics argue that Erikson overemphasized adolescence as
a significant time where our core identity is formed.
Erikson suggested that youths go through a period of
identity crisis where they try out various identities
until they find their niche in the society resulting in
achievement of their ego identity. Ego development is
important as we cannot remain sane without the sense of
‘I’. This act of self definition rather than ‘prescribed
roles’ is essential. Adolescent development that helps
us answer the complex question, "Who am I?" requires
organization of the individual's beliefs, abilities,
drives, and history into a view of oneself. Erikson uses
psychoanalysis to develop richly detailed biographical
histories of great leaders like Thomas Jefferson,
Martin Luther and Mahatma Gandhi and these biographies
supported Erikson’s eight development stages from
experiencing trust/mistrust to fulfilment/disappointment
in life. Erikson asserted that identity development is not
exclusively formed in adolescence, it is shaped in
adolescence and continue to change and develop while
maintaining the core identity.



We cannot deny the significant impact of childhood in our
lives. We encounter many of our ‘first’ experiences during
these years – our first friend, our first job or our first
kiss – these are perhaps the most impressionable,
influential years of our life. It is reasonable to believe
that they must have significantly impacted our identity. We
see older people or people who are dying often trying to
return to their roots anchored in their childhood. People
suffering from aids or cancer who are told they are going
to die soon; instantly they are stripped off their roles in
the society, could perhaps vouch for one personal core
identity to give meaning to their life.


Although language do help us to communicate our social
identities, we have seen that language alone is not reliable
to give complete and accurate construction of identity.
Social constructionist focus on our numerous, provisional
identities without a personal stable core identity seem to
reduce our state of mind to those who are often considered
as having mental illness. In our social life we communicate
from the default assumption that there is a thread that
binds the different acts of a single individual together
into a whole consistent person. Erikson’s theory advocates
that a sense of continuity of our individual
distinctiveness is important. To achieve this continuous
sense of who we are we need to develop a stable, consistent
and reliable sense of what we stand for in the society.
Whether our reality is natural or illusionary, Erikson's
psychosocial theory is a positive and meaningful concept.
It show us life is a series of lessons and challenges which
help us to grow. ‘To truly meet others with whom to share
a “We”, one must have a sense of “I”’ (Erik Erikson,
The Life Cycle Completed).


(1275 words)


Tutor Comment:
You argue passionately!

Grade 92


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