Two kinds of identity crisis

Abstract

In order to outline a model of identity crisis, it is necessary to distinguish two types. In an identity deficit ("motivation crisis"), the individual experiences a lack of guiding commitments but struggles to establish personal goals and values. In an identity conflict ("legitimation crisis"), the person has several commitments which prescribe conflicting behavioral imperatives in some situations, such that at least one commitment may have to be betrayed. The literature on identity crisis is reviewed in connection with this distinction, and an attempt is made to delineate the causes, the subjective experiences, behavioral consequences, and modes of resolution of each type of crisis.

At the Intersection of Church and Gay: A Review of the Psychological Research on Gay and Lesbian Christians

“…In the psychological (and sociological) literature, scholars have utilized the psychological theories of cognitive dissonance (Festinger, 1957), stigma (Goffman, 1963), and identity conflict (Baumeister et al, 1985) to try to explain the origins of the conflict that gays and lesbians experience between their homosexual and religious identities. I now address each of these theories in turn, beginning with Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory.…”

“…Here, I conduct detailed discussions illustrating the psychological theories currently in use in the field; the focus being on Goffman's (1963) work on stigma, Festinger's (1957) cognitive dissonance theory, and Baumeister, Shapiro, and Tice's (1985) theory of identity conflict. I then introduce two concepts that are underrepresented (or not represented at all) in the current literature: Shallenberger's (1996Shallenberger's ( , 1998 notion of integration as a process and Rappaport's (1991Rappaport's ( , 1984Rappaport's ( , 1995Rappaport's ( , 2000 theory of empowerment.…”

Self-Concept Clarity and Online Self-Presentation in Adolescents

“…20,21 For many adolescents, moving toward the formation of a stable and cohesive self may lead to an identity conflict as various potential selves are tried out and tested. 22 Adolescents also have to contend with dramatic physiological changes, including sexual maturation, physical growth, and cognitive development. 18 It is clear that establishing a sense of identity and self is an important part of development, particularly given research findings suggesting that a clear sense of self predicts psychological adjustment.…”

An Investigation of Multiple Pathways of Developmental Intervention Change

“…Baumeister, Shapiro, and Tice (1985) suggest that identity crisis occurs when an adolescent encounters circumstances in which he or she lacks enough of a sense of identity to make important life decisions (i.e., an identity deficit) or circumstances that bring to light the incompatibility of two or more aspects of his or her identity (i.e., an identity conflict). As noted, other theorists (e.g., Adams & Marshall, 1996;Breakwell, 1988;Grotevant, 1987;Kerpelman, Pittman, & Lamke, 1997;Kroger, 1997) have recognized the importance of the transaction between the individual and the individual's context as a potential "starting point" for the identity process (Bosma & Kunnen, 2001).…”