Identity Styles and Wisdom During Emerging Adulthood: Relationships with Mindfulness and Savoring

Abstract

Erikson's (1968) supposition about the importance of mature identity for wisdom was examined by testing the hypothesis that informational identity processing is uniquely associated with wisdom and with related positive subjective experiences (mindfulness and savoring). Emerging adults (N ¼ 320; 68.5% women; age range ¼ 18-29 years) completed self-report measures of: identity styles (informational, normative, diffuse), identity commitment, wisdom (cognitive, reflective, affective), mindfulness, savoring beliefs, and savoring behaviors. The informational style was positively related to wisdom, mindfulness, and savoring beliefs as well as to several savoring behaviors (e.g., absorption and counting blessings). The highest levels of informational identity processing, identity commitment, mindfulness, and savoring beliefs were found for individuals who scored in the top quartile on wisdom. Finally, structural equation modeling was used to examine linear relationships among these variables and revealed that the informational style positively predicted wisdom, which positively predicted mindfulness and savoring beliefs.The ways that individuals address the question ''Who am I?'' is important throughout adulthood, but it is perhaps most critical for emerging adults who are attempting to find their place in their social, academic, and professional worlds. According to Arnett (2000), with the demographic and social changes that have occurred in recent decades, emerging adulthood,

Forming a Professional Counselor Identity: The Impact of Identity Processing Style

“…Values favored by informational-oriented individuals include universalism, benevolence, and openness (Berzonsky et al, 2011) manifesting in greater exploration and openness to new experiences (Berzsonsky & Sullivan, 1992;Lile, 2013Lile, , 2015Seaton & Beaumont, 2008). The use of an informational style is associated with higher emotional intelligence (Seaton & Beaumont, 2008, 2011b, self-actualization and selftranscendence (Beaumont, 2009), and personal wisdom (Beaumont, 2011). Specific areas of personal wisdom related to the informational style include cognitive, affective, and reflective wisdom, mindfulness, savoring beliefs, introspection, and an awareness of internal states (Beaumont, 2011;Berzonsky & Sullivan, 1992;Berzonsky & Luyckx, 2008).…”

“…The use of an informational style is associated with higher emotional intelligence (Seaton & Beaumont, 2008, 2011b, self-actualization and selftranscendence (Beaumont, 2009), and personal wisdom (Beaumont, 2011). Specific areas of personal wisdom related to the informational style include cognitive, affective, and reflective wisdom, mindfulness, savoring beliefs, introspection, and an awareness of internal states (Beaumont, 2011;Berzonsky & Sullivan, 1992;Berzonsky & Luyckx, 2008). When faced with external pressures, informational-oriented individuals tend to use deliberate, proactive, and problem-focused coping strategies (Berzonsky, 1992b;Beaumont & Seaton, 2011;Seaton & Beaumont, 2008), and a mature defense style that optimally integrates reality and personal affect (Seaton & Beaumont, 2011a).…”

The role of positive emotions and ego-resilience in personal strivings.

“…A key aspect of mindfulness is self-awareness (Brown & Ryan, 2003), and the capacity for self-awareness is a precursor for advanced self-development (Beaumont, 2009). Indeed, mindfulness has been found to predict advanced self-development in the form of wisdom (Beaumont, 2011), and wise individuals are characterized by self-actualization and self-transcendence (Beaumont, 2009). Overall, the fact that positive emotions are linked to increased mindfulness (Fredrickson et al, 2008) provides further support that positive emotion might facilitate the broadened state of awareness necessary for self-transcendence.…”

Self-reflective identity processing and psychological maturity: Examining the link between identity and wisdom.

“…Beaumont determined that the use o f an open, self-reflective informational identity style positively predicted wisdom in the form o f selfactualization and self-transcendence (Beaumont, 2009), as well as a more integrated form o f wisdom consisting o f reflective, cognitive, and affective aspects (Beaumont, 2011). Beaumont (2011) argued that the self-reflection afforded by the use of an informational identity style predisposes emerging adults for the development o f wisdom.…”

“…Beaumont (2009Beaumont ( , 2011 sought to validate the proposed links between identity and 1 wisdom by examining the capacities for wisdom as a function o f social-cognitive identity processing styles (informational, normative, and diffuse-avoidant;Berzonsky, 1989) during emerging adulthood, which is a period o f development (ages [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] characterized by intensified identity exploration (Arnett, 2000). Beaumont determined that the use o f an open, self-reflective informational identity style positively predicted wisdom in the form o f selfactualization and self-transcendence (Beaumont, 2009), as well as a more integrated form o f wisdom consisting o f reflective, cognitive, and affective aspects (Beaumont, 2011). Beaumont (2011) argued that the self-reflection afforded by the use of an informational identity style predisposes emerging adults for the development o f wisdom.…”