Opportunities and teenage pregnancy: The role of education and employment

Abstract

As discussed in Chapter 5, identity develops out of both the individual and social functions of identity: According to Erikson and his successors, both social and psychological processes influence the sense of self. Therefore, context is an essential feature of the self. As Adam and Marshall (1996) highlight, identity is constructed through a ‘person-in-context.’ Empirical research has shown how families, schools, community, and broader societal context shape individual expectations and define developmental norms (Ianni, 1989; Adam & Marshall, 1996; Baumeister, 1986).