Past investigations have documented that late adolescence is associated with developmental changes in identity formation resulting in individual differences in identity statuses. Particular attention has been given to the identification and study of diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, and identity achievement statuses. Drawing from the recent theoretical speculations by Cooper and Grotevant, an investigation was completed to assess the predictive utility of measures of family connectedness and individuality in differentiating among the four identity statuses. Data were obtained from male and female late adolescents and their mothers and fathers on perceptions of independence (individuality), communication, and emotional affection (connectedness). Differences among adolescents grouped into the four identity formation statuses were assessed using analysis of variance techniques comparing gender and identity status on measures of connectedness and individuality within a parent-adolescent relationship. Evidence consistent with the notion that a combination of emotional attachment to parents and the encouragement of independence striving by parents is associated with healthy identity development emerges from our data.

Three related studies were completed to test the predictive relation among identity status, personality, and conformity behavior. The investigations were undertaken to replicate the earlier research findings of Toder and Marcia (1973). As predicted in Study 1, personality differences were found for both sexes. However, no relation was observed between identity status and conformity on the Asch task. Study 2 was completed to confirm the reliability of the identity status measure. Finally, in Study 3 four measures of conformity behavior (peer assessments, an experimental task, two self-report scales) were completed by college students of diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, and identity-achievement statuses. Diffusion students were most influenced by peer pressure conformity, whereas identity-achievement students were most likely to report engaging in conformity behavior for achievement gains. Although earlier research by Toder and Marcia (1973) was not replicated via the Asch conformity task, the third study does support a predicted relation between identity and conformity behavior.

Theoretical assumptions outlined by Erik Erikson on psychosocial crisis resolution hypothesizes that the positive resolution of the identity crisis is predictive of more mature intimacy formation. To test this hypothesis, college-aged late adolescents (48 subjects) completed interviews and selfreport instruments measuring identity formation and degree of intimacy along with daily records of social interactions for one week. Analyses indicated a complex association between identity and intimacy formation. Comparisons were made between the exploration and commitment process of identity and the measures of intimacy formation and social interaction measures. Numerous complex sex differences were observed with several interactions between gender, exploration, commitment, and intimacy context. Findings are discussed in terms of broadening future research direction beyond the simple study of the linkage of identity and intimacy.

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A total of 80 females were drawn randomly from a larger pool of subjects who had been identified as having either diffusion, iforeclosure, moratorium, or identityachievement statuses. Each subject completed a personality measure and engaged in a social-influence experiment with a same-sex or opposite-sex peer confederate. Theoretically appropriate differences between the four identity statuses were observed on the personality measure, and different social-influence behavioral styles were noted between the lower and advanced identity statuses. Some, differences were observed due to the sex composition of the dyadic social-influence setting. Since Marcia's (1966) operationalization of Erikson's (1968) notions on the identity-formation process, numerous longitudinal studies (e.g., Adams & Fitch, 1982;Waterman, Geary, & Waterman, 1974;Waterman & Goldman, 1976) have documented the progressive developmental shifts in identity during late adolescence. These data indicate over time that youths with diffusion or foreclosure statuses are likely to move into moratorium or identityachievement statuses. The four identity statuses, based on experience with crisis and selfdefined commitment, are specified accordingly: (a) Diffusion status involves persons who have not had a reported crisis period and who cannot define specific, meaningful commitments; (b) foreclosure status refers to individuals who have made a commitment without an exploration or crisis period; (c) moratorium status involves a period of crisis; and (d) identity achievement refers to the establishment of commitment after an experience with exploration or crisis. Whereas sex differences may be anticipated in the developmental formation of identity, Waterman (1982) has concluded that "comparisons of the patterns of identity formation shown by males and females yield far more evidence of similarities than differences" (p. 355). Thus, intraindividual change Requests for reprints should be sent to