The Dynamics of Emotions and Life Cycle Identity

Abstract

Emotions are discussed as organizers and motivators in the dynamics of identity across the life span. Discrete emotions, functionalist, and dynamic systems approaches to emotion development are applied to issues of change and continuity in identity, considered within Erikson's psychosocial model of lifespan development (Erikson, 1963). The contributions of emotion to both identity-relevant processes (exploration and commitment) and outcomes (the identity statuses of achievement, moratorium, foreclosure, and diffusion) are discussed. Two main premises guide this discussion. One is that individual differences in emotion help to identify paths along the trajectory of identity emergence, consolidation, and change. Another is that psychosocial transition phases, as marked by Eriksonian theory, are likely to be times of maximal influence between developments in the emotion system and psychosocial identity. A review of emotion development is presented that argues for the continued vitality of the emotion system throughout adulthood and that highlights the importance of negative emotion. As well, suggestions are offered for linking emotion development to adulthood identity stability and change. Excerpts from a biographical case study of Ingmar Bergman (Lahr, 1999) are presented as illustrative examples in the concluding sections.

Treading Fearlessly: A Commentary on Personal Persistence, Identity Development, and Suicide

“…The hospitalized may not have killed themselves because they have some remnant of hope remaining, because they do not have enough energy available to act, or, most likely, because they are in the care of others who do have the sense of perspective necessary to possess such self-warranting strategiesFboth for themselves and those in their care. The foregoing is not so different from what the authors have said, except that it places pain (affect) rather than thought (cognition) in the foreground (see also Strayer, 2002). This is important in terms of intervention.…”

“…We initially were interested in how late adolescents go about managing the transition from adolescence to adulthood in terms of shifts in occupational and ideological perspectives and the eventual formation of an ego identity. Subsequently, our interests have focused on how adults maintain or shift their ego identity (see Marcia, 2002;Strayer, 2002). The authors of the present Monograph began their work from the philosophical perspective of a theory of mind within a general Piagetian orientation.…”

The link between identity style and intimacy balance: Does emotional intelligence provide the key?

“…The proposed that emotion plays a pivotal role in the formation and maintenance of identity (e.g., Haviland, Davidson, Ruetsch, Gebelt & Lancelot, 1994;Strayer, 2002;Vleioras & Bosma, 2005b), as well as in identity commitments (e.g., Berzonsky, 2003), such that identity commitment itself is an emotion-laden construct (Strayer, 2002). However, the emotional aspects of identity development have been largely ignored in identity theory and research, although emotions and emotional processing have been shown to be important in sociocognitive attributions and appraisals .…”

“…Emotions are not simply by-products of cognition, but instead can organize and motivate cognition and actions (Strayer, 2002). "Optimal development maximizes emotional competencies (e.g., emotional awareness, expression, and experience), increasing both stability (a system property) and flexible choice (a voluntary property).…”

“…Individuals displaying the identity achievement status are autonomous yet intimate in relationships, display secure attachments, function well under stress, and demonstrate high levels of moral reasoning, indicating an optimum integration of emotion and cognitive reasoning (see review by Strayer, 2002). …”