The Lower Age Boundaries of Identity Development

Abstract

ARCHER, SALLY L. The Lower Age Boundaries of Identity Development. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1982, 53, 1551-1556. Early and mid-adolescent males and females in the sixth, eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades were interviewed to document the lower age boundaries of ego identity development in the content areas of vocational choice, religious beliefs, political philosophies, and sex-role preferences. Frequency of the identity achievement status increased significantly with increase in grade level. The diffusion and foreclosure statuses were most evident at all grade levels. Frequency of identity status differed by content area with the majority of instances of identity achievement in the vocational choice and religious beliefs content areas, moratorium in vocational choice, foreclosure in sex-role preferences, and identity diffusion in political philosophies. Similar patterns of development were found for both sexes.