Identity formation has been described by numerous theories, including Kegan’s (1982) constructive-developmental approach and Blos’s (1967) object relations approach, but none are more influential than Erik Erikson’s (1968) psychosocial approach to identity development. Erikson stressed history and social context as important factors in the development of an individual’s identity. So monumental is his theory that professionals with clinical, theoretical, and empirical backgrounds who deal with adolescent development all find value in Erikson’s conceptualization of adolescence.
In many ways, Erikson’s views of identity development reflect a response to prevailing models of its time, particularly Freud’s psychodynamic understanding of psychological development. While conceptualizations of personalities during the Freudian era were based on neurotic tendencies, Erikson was more interested in the development of healthy personalities. Each stage of life, according to Erikson, had a certain...
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Levesque, R.J.R. (2011). Identity Formation. In: Levesque, R.J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Adolescence. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1695-2_501
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