Classical Issue of Adolescence - the search for IDENTITY
Just to ask, "Who am I?" is to view the Self as a product.
To be able to answer this is to lock yourself in time and space.
It also assumes that there is a unified and consistent "I" that does not change.

Perhaps it is better phrased as 3 questions:
            1. Who was I?
            2. Who am I now?
            3. Who am I becoming?

Alice Through the Looking Glass

"Who are you." said the caterpillar.
This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation.
Alice replied rather shyly, "I hardly know, sir, just at present - at least I knew who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have changed several times since then."

ERIKSON - Identity vs. Identity Diffusion
Recently split off by Newman & Newman to 2 substages:
            Early Adolescence (12-18)
            Later Adolescence (18-22+)

Early Adolescence (12-18) Group Identity vs. Alienation

• Central Process for Resolution of Psychosocial Crisis is Peer Pressure
• Developmental Tasks: Physical Maturation, Formal Operations,  Emotional Development, Membership in peer groups,  Establish, Develop & Maintain Sexual relationships (loosely defined - dating, going steady, etc.)
• Prime Adaptive Ego Quality - Fidelity 1, "The ability to freely pledge and sustain loyalty to others."
• Core Pathology - Isolation, "Reduced or absent social contact or connection."

• Central Process for Resolution of Psychosocial Crisis is Role Exploration
• Developmental Tasks: Autonomy in relation to parents, Sex-role identity, Internalized Morality, Career Choice.
• Prime Adaptive Ego Quality - Fidelity 2, "The ability to freely pledge and sustain loyalty to values & ideologies."
• Core Pathology - Repudiation, "Rejection of roles and values that seem alien to oneself."

• Identity Confusion - No identity crisis has been experienced and no commitments to an identity have been made.
• Identity Foreclosed - No identity crisis has been experienced, but commitments to an identity have been made, usually forced on the person by the parent(s).
• Identity Moratorium - Considerable identity crisis is being experienced, but no commitments to an identity are yet  made.
• Identity Achieved - Numerous identity crises have been experienced and resolved, and relatively permanent commitments to an identity have been made.

1. Presence or Absence of an Identity Crisis.
   It is vital to note that Marcia is referring to a crisis of identity, an experience in which the person must re-consider her/his sense of self and relation to others. This is a process, and often a long one, in which powerful questions are asked and meaningful answers are sought. (Note: this does NOT refer to situational crises, such as divorce or death of a family member.)
   
2. Presence or Absence of a Commitment to Identity. 
   People make many types of commitments in life. The Commitment to Identity that Marcia presents is the result of solidifying one's sense of self, values, purposes, beliefs, and relations to others and the world in general. Commitment can result from a personal search for identity which results in satisfying answers to these issues of Self, or the commitment can be ascribed to a person by external forces such as family, culture, etc.
   

I AM.... (discuss the exercise - write 20 variations on finishing the sentence)

FAMILY DYNAMICS

In Family Systems Theory, there is the notion that:

VISION QUEST

Many Native American Tribes have historically determined a boy's identity through such  means as the Vision Quest.
• Purification - sweat lodge, fasting, etc.
• Solitude - Go alone into the wilderness.
• Sacrifice - of things, of self
• Perception Alteration:
Sacred Drugs (Peyote, etc.)
Suffering - fasting, exhaustion, self-induced pain.
Calling for Spirit Guide - Animal or Plant to Mentor the boy.
Vision - Spirit Guide Appears, pledges to guide boy, tells boy of  life  themes.
Return to Village - tell of the vision
Pursue Life Themes, Rely on Spirit Guide

Essential Question: "Should people have Self Esteem just because they ARE, or should they have to BE and/or DO something WORTH esteeming?

Coopersmith (1967)
        Coopersmith worked with 12 year old boys (gender bias?).
        Found 4 factors that contributed to Self Concept:

1. Significance - how much a person is loved and approved of by others.
2. Competence - how well does a person perform tasks he or she considers to be important.
3. Virtue - to what extent does a person feel he or she has attained the expected moral  standards of their culture.
4. Power - how well and to what extent can a person control him/herself and his/her  influence on others.

To help foster self esteem, Coopersmith suggested:

1. Keep your own esteem high.
2. Communicate concern and interest to the child.
3. Encourage interaction with the child.
4. Engage in joint activities.
5. Use reinforcement rather than punishment to enforce rules.
6. Encourage self-reliance and independent behavior tempered with protection from too much pressure.

Some Answers:

• Physically (un)attractive features
• Temperament - often believed to be inborn.
• Depression - generally identified as having biological (inherited) components. Runs in families, adoption studies support genetic predisposition.
• Bipolar (I & II) - Mood Swings effect self ratings.
• High Self Esteem self-reports when cycling to good feelings.
• Low Self Esteem self-reports when cycling to depressed feelings.