Developing Ones Identity Is A Lifelong Process Sociology Essay

Developing Ones Identity Is A Lifelong Process Sociology Essay Developing ones identity is a lifelong process. The definition of self-identity, according to psychology is the conscious recognition of the self as having a unique identity. I chose to focus my research on the area of adolescent identity, or youth between 12 and 19 years of age, because that is when so many huge decisions are made that affect a persons life and the direction in which it is going. Upon my research, I have discovered that this is an ever evolving theory. There is so much research and information on this particular subject, that it couldnt possibly be covered in one paper. Many of the theorists build on each other. Henri Tajfels adeveloped social identity theory. Erik Eriksons theory of psychosocial development is one of the best-known theories of personality (Cherry, 2012). And Urie Bronfenbrenner developed the ecological systems theory to explain how everything in a child and the childs environment affects how children grow and develop. There are many other theorist who have affected the way we look at identity as well. And there are many theorists in whom the above theorists have observed and built upon. Eriksons theory has stages, much like Freud and Piaget. One theorist who elaborated on Eriksons theory was James Marcia. Tajfels research consisted of two laboratory experiments that focused on in-groups and out-groups to determine the discrimination of out-groups and the inherent self-esteem boost the participants received when they awarded their own groups, even though they were anonymous, with the most money. He determined that there are three processes used to evaluate others as us or them or in other words, in-groups and out-groups, and that these processes take place in a particular order. First is categorization. We categorize objects in order to understand and identify them, this includes our social environment. We find things out about ourselves according to the categories we belong to. The second stage is social identity. Once categorized to a group, each of us forms our identity based on our belonging to the group and create an emotional bond. From there, we attach our self-esteem to this group membership. The final stage is social comparison. Once our group is formed and we have categorized ourselves, and developed an identity attached to that group, we tend to compare our group with other groups. Our self-esteem in wrapped up in this group, so we need to make sure that we are viewed as favorable in the eyes of other groups. If we are not, then hostility and competition forms between groups to determine the better group or groups. Essentially, we are fighting for our identity. This is especially true for teenagers. There are so many groups that determine young peoples identity. Religion, race, gender, activities, etc. all play an important role in how people define themselves. The next theorist is Erik Erikson. He based all of his work on case studies, and at times was criticized for his lack of formal research. Some felt that he lacked credibility because of his lack of research, but Erikson based his stage-theory on what he had observed in his life as well as case studies. The development of ego identity is one of the main elements of Eriksons psychosocial stage theory. Ego identity is the idea that we develop a conscious sense of self through social interaction. Due to new information and experiences that we acquire every day during our social interactions with others, our ego identity is constantly changing. Erikson also felt that behaviors and actions were motivated by a sense of competence. Erikson believed that each stage can create competence or crisis, or a turning point in ones development. Each quantitative stage presents its own achievements and challenges. The stages are as follows, with a focus on Identity versus confusion, but because his th eory is built on stages, it is important to mention the stages leading up to the adolescent identity stage. The first is Trust vs. Mistrust, because an infant is entirely dependant on their caregiver, they build a sense of trust if they are properly cared for, or mistrust if they are neglected, rejected, or abused. The second stage is Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt. This stage refers to potty training and food choice. When children successfully complete this stage they either feel secure and confident or inadequate or doubt themselves. The third stage is Initiative vs. Guilt. These are the preschool years when they begin to assert themselves and discover a sense of control and power over others. If successful they feel capable, if they fail they feel that sense of self doubt and guilt. Stage four is Industry vs. Inferiority. A sense of pride begins to develop as children recognize their accomplishments and abilities through their social interactions. When children are encouraged by th eir parents and teachers they develop a sense of competence and a belief in their abilities. This brings us to the stage of Identity vs. Confusion. This is the important stage, at least as far as we are concerned. During their adolescent years, children develop a sense of self by exploring their independence. There are several contributing factors to the formation of identity. As adolescents enter puberty their cognitive skills and physical abilities increase. When teens become more independent they tend to get involved in more neighborhood, community and school activities. Erikson believed that these changes make adolescents begin to explore their future jobs, their relationships and their beliefs. According to Erikson, identity has been formed when a person can evaluate themselves and their environment and links them together expressively. When a person struggles with this identity link, that is when the issues of role confusion occurs. Role confusion causes an individual to quest ion their characteristics, their sense of self and their perceptions of others. Due to changing physical, cognitive, and social factors, nearly all adolescents experience some form of role confusion (Kroger, 2004, as quoted by Sokol, 2009). Identity helps each of us to find our place in the world. It provides us with a sense of belonging, a sense of self, and gives us each a sense of direction. Identity is what makes us move in a particular direction. Identity is what gives us reason to be. Erikson clearly believed that having a solid sense of identity is crucial to further development. Without a true sense of identity, adolescents tend to choose a lifestyle that has negative consequences, because they lack self respect or feel that they dont deserve a better life. The theorist James Marcia, based on Eriksons theory, developed four Identity Statuses of psychological identity. His main idea is that personal choices and their social commitments determine ones identity. It is important to clarify that these are NOT stages, but statuses that can happen in any order or not at all. Marcias four statuses are, first, Identity Diffusion, this is when an adolescent doesnt feel like they have a choice in things pertaining to themselves, when in reality, they just havent made one, or is not willing at that time to make a commitment to one choice or another. Second, is Identity Foreclosure, this is when an adolescent is willing to satisfy others by committing to certain roles, values, or plans for the future. This is not an identity crisis; these individuals are just choosing to conform to what others want for them. The third status is Identity Moratorium, which is when the adolescent is in a crisis, this is when an adolescent is ready to make a choice, but has not committed to any of those choices yet. The final status is Identity Achievement, this is when an adolescent has gone through an identity crisis and has committed to a choice and developed a sense of identity based on that choice. We have all experienced this in our lives. There is not a single adult that can honestly say that they went through their entire youth knowing exactly who they were and who they were going to become. It is a process, a learning curve. I daily duty filled with action and reaction. Every day teenagers, and adults, have to reevaluate certain aspects of their identity bases on what works and what doesnt work. Our final theorist is Bronfenbrenner, his theory is that every aspect of life, every little piece of our existence affects who we are. We are each in the middle of a giant circle. Directly around us is our microsystem, this entails our families, school, everything we see and deal with daily. Next is the exosystem, this is the pieces of ones life out of their direct range, such as parents work place, extended family, neighborhoods, etc. The final circle is the macrosystem, this is where culture and attitudes come into play, for example, war, the economy, and government. Although these things are outside the individuals personal circle, they are still affective in molding and shaping adolescent identity. To sum up all of the research and theories above, it is safe to say that every facet of ones life has an impact on a persons identity in one way or another. Through their upbringing, culture, social roles, and environment, adolescents develop their identity. They learn to rely on those they can trust and build perceptions about the things that they know and the things that they dont know. Their cognitive abilities have reached a point in the adolescent years where they can determine for themselves their own paths based on their own views and opinions, even though much of their thought processes are affected by the values that have been instilled in them. Parents and caregivers play a tremendous role on religion, social status, environment, education and future. Teachers also play a role in the development of a teenagers identity. Through the use of clear expectations and positive praise, a teacher can increase their students self-esteem. They also have the ability to encourage positi ve group choices through group projects and student awareness. Teachers are also powerful role models and can create a strong learning environment that encourages cognitive growth and can increase the desire for students to pursue higher education. Teachers can make a difference in their students lives and help them develop a strong sense of self and identity. The most important thing a teacher can do is to know their students. Resources Cherry, K (2012). Stages of psychosocial  development: Psychosocial development in preschool, middle Childhood, and  adolescence. Retrieved from http://psychology. about.com/od/ psychosocialtheories/a/psychosocial_2.htm Feinstein, S. (2007). Teaching the at-risk teenage brain. Retrieved from http://chapters. scarecrowpress.com/15/788/1578866 464ch1.pdf Gilgun, J (1993). Erik erikson and the use of case studies. Retrieved from (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() Marcia, J. E., (1966), Development and validation of ego identity status, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 3, pp. 551-558. Retrieved from http://iws2.collin.edu/lstern/JamesMarcia.pdf McLeod, S. A. (2008). Social identity theory. Retrieved from http://www.simply psychology.org/social-identity-theory.html Sokol, Justin T. (2009) Identity Development Throughout the Lifetime: An Examination of Eriksonian Theory, Graduate Journal of Counseling Psychology: Vol. 1: Iss. 2, Article 14. Retrieved from http://epublications .marquette.edu/gjcp/vol1/iss2/14 Tahfel, H. (1970). Experiments in intergroup discrimination. Scientific American, 223, 96-102 Retrieved from http://www.holah.karoo.net/tajfestudy.htm Woolfolk, a., Perry, N. (2012). Child and adolescent development. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

Cottle-Taylor

Therefore, original projections will be more beneficial. Also, Mr. Lang had predicted his estimates based on the success in Thailand, but the demographics of Thailand and India are very different. More than 80% of the individuals live on less than $2 per day. So, we recommend that we should follow our original projection of 20% unit sales increase. Regards, Assistant Executives Cottle India Case Analysis Summary Situation analysis: Mr.Lang has asked Brinda Patel to reconsider her projections of 20% for growth in toothbrush sales in India. Lang proposes that a 3% increase in the advertisement budget will lead to a 30% increase in sales. This assumption is based on prior experience and support they received in the Thailand Market. But demographics of India is very different from that of Thailand. Problem Statement: What is the feasibility of achieving a 25% to 30% growth in toothbrush business of Cottle India in 2010?Options: Brinda Patel should present her original marketing plan of 2 0% projection Brinda Patel should revise her marketing plan to achieve 30% sales growth Criteria: Total revenue Profit from operations Accuracy of assumptions Evaluation of Options: From the analysis and projections, it is seen that though revenue would increase in evising the marketing plan and investing in advertising, the profit earned by the company with the original plan of 20% is still more than the revised market plan of 30%.Recommendation: After evaluating the options, it is recommended that Brinda Patel sticks to her original marketing plan of 20% unit sales growth in the toothbrush market. Action plan She should present the original marketing plan to Lang She should convince Lang about the different economic conditions in India as compared to Thailand. Table of Contents Situational Analysis Cottle Taylor company manufactures more than 200 products under three consumer- roduct categories: personal care, home care, oral care. It is a global company and operates in four geogr aphic regions viz. Europe, Latin America, North America and Greater Asia and Africa.In the year 2009, they generated $5. 7 billion out of the total revenue of $1 1. 5 billion from emerging. In India, they are present only in the oral care business and the operations are controlled by Cottle India. India was a massive market with above 1 billion people and was also the largest democracy in the world. In 2009, India had around 37% people living below the poverty line and around 80% lived on less than $2 per day. Majority of the Indian population resided in the rural regions, where the wages were varying, so the consumers in the rural regions were sensitive to prices.The company is trying to focus on both the rural as well as the urban market in India and has hence three products in different price ranges. They are low-end, mid-range and battery operated types. Also, the people living in the rural areas are not well aware of the product toothbrushes. Around 50% of the rural population use chewy twigs from neem tree to clean their teeth and maintain dental hygiene. Cottle India realized the need to educate the people in rural areas regarding ental hygiene and hence the company partnered with Indian Dental Association (IDA) in 2004, to inform and educate people about oral health issues.In 2008, Brinda Patel took over as the marketing director of oral care operations. In 2009, Cottle India had market share of 38% in total oral care. Brinda had a marketing plan which would bring about a 20% increase in sales but her manager has advised her that the company could higher sales growth by investing more in advertisements. Brinda Patel's manager Michael Lang had increased unit sales growth by 25% in Thailand by investing around 3% of sales to advertisement. Langs's suggestion of opting the same strategy as that in Thailand will not suffice the purpose in India because of the huge demographic difference between the two countries.Problem Statement What is the feasibility of achieving a 25% to 30% growth in toothbrush business of Cottle India in 2010? Options Brinda patel basically has two options with her. One was to go with her own option to stick to the original marketing plan and increase her sales by 20% or Another option is to go by Lange's target of 20-25% owtn in unit sales in the tlnancial year by increasing the budget ot advertising. Criteria for Evaluation Financial analysis is one of the main criteria to evaluate the options present in the situation.In the current scenario revenue generation and increasing the profit are the main things to be taken into account. Since there are two criteria for evaluating the criteria we start with is the profit increasing option. Evaluation of options Option 1: Brinda Patel should revise her marketing plan to achieve 30% unit sales growth Lang projected a growth rate of the toothbrush sales by 16% for low end range, by 120% for mid-range and by 25% for the high end range. The total revenue is calculated us ing these fgures (see exhibit 1). The total revenue estimated by Lang is $11705 million.Comparing it with the Patel's estimation the revenue is high. With Langs projection the Revenue increases by 67. 6%. On the other hand evaluating it in terms of profit there is an increase in profit from $12. 6 million to $17. 58 million (see exhibit 2). But Lang is assuming what worked in Thailand will work in India as well. His prediction is on the basis of the market result of Thailand and the demographics of the two countries are quite different. We see, from exhibit 1, that the mid-range toothbrushes are priced at $0. 98 and from Exhibit 3, it is can be seen that pproximately 42. % population live below $1. 37 per day and 40. 7% live below $2. 74 per day. Thus, for a country with about 83. 4 % population below $2 per day, Lang had projected to increase in sales by 120 %. It is quite improbable for a consumer to buy a toothbrush worth $0. 98 when his disposable income is less than $2 per day.

Black Men and Public Spaces Essay

1. In â€Å"Black Men and Public Spaces,† Brent Staples the author, claims how he uncomfortable and bothered of how others view him, due to the fact he is African American. I believe the purpose of this essay is for the readers to realize that stereotypes don’t always have to be real. What I mean by this is that, if you are black you are not always going to be dangerous, wearing baggy clothes, and a gun inside your jacket. He is accused of many things that he doesn’t do just due to the fact he is a young black man, which white people are terrified off. He is an educated according to the reading and he doesn’t believe in violence. The purpose of this is to people to recognize that innocent lives are ending due to these stereotypes of discrimination and fake accusations. â€Å"Altering Public Space in Ugly Ways,† I believe that he uses his experiences and others that people are scared of people are assuming black men are potentially violent. An example in the book is with the young white lady, which he describes in the book as his first victim. This lady in front of Brent Staples was walking and he says she was not comfortable with the space he gave to her. She started walking faster and faster until, she eventually ran, and went away. She thought something bad was going to happen, but as Staples says he enjoys talking walks during the night due to his insomnia. He has never felt comfortable around people as they’re mind is basically survival of the fittest they will stay away to any possible harm, Brent Staples wants to avoid invading personal space. As he states, â€Å" I now take precautions to make myself less threating.† She is writing that during the nights of late evening he is walking with care around people. Questions on Writing Strategy: 1. The concept of Altering Public Space is abstract, but Brent Staples really convinces the reader that it occurs due to all this encounters he has in his essay. As it is formatted in 1st person, it grabs your attention that this all really occurred. He starts off with the woman at the beginning that ran from him, the one she describes as the first victim, then when he moved to New York he describes how people look at him in the subway after he changes from a suit to informal clothes, and how the women will hold their bags tightly as if he was there to rob them. This essay is sad, and he writes gloomy, the writer is expressing how it’s a shame that he is always viewed as a criminal. 2. In Staples essay he gives many examples, but in a great way, he avoided the piece sounding like a list of events. He talks in great detail about an event that occurred, than he changes his setting. For example when he used to live in Chicago then he uses transitions like â€Å" that was more than a decade ago.† And as well how changes the topic and explains his new role in that new city. He uses a lot of adjectives, and doesn’t write like a list.

The American Of Native Americans - 899 Words

cautious what we receive for truth, unless spoken by wise and good men. If any thing disagreeable should ever fall out between us, the twelve United colonies, and you, the Six Nations, to wound our peace, let us immediately seek measures for healing the breach. It is possible to imagine that such a letter, while having good intentions, could have caused discourse in the minds of Native Americans. The Continental Congress was promoting peace between the colonists and the tribes. On the other hand, the Native Americans were guarded on account of the actions perpetrated against them. The past is not easily forgotten and asking these people to keep peace may have been indignation. It was essentially as if they were telling the Native Americans not to fight back in the event of an attack which surely made them feel powerless. The previous correspondence would imply that the Continental Congress pursued Native American welfare only when it did not hinder their strategy with Britain, but the concern for their potential allies grew as their resources dwindled. The colonists that yearned for a new place in the world realized they could not accommodate the needs of Native Americans and took the advice of Colonel Daniel Broadhead, an officer in the 8 th Pennsylvania Regiment, and requested their presence. It would have been easier to brush the Native Americans aside during this time, especially with the impending Revolution weighing so heavily on the minds of the ContinentalShow MoreRelatedNative American And Native Americans1137 Words   |  5 PagesNative American Displacement Long ago on the great plains, the buffalo roamed and the Native Americans lived amongst each other. They were able to move freely across the lands until the white men came and concentrated them into certain areas. Today there are more than five-hundred different tribes with different beliefs and history. Native Americans still face problems about the horrific history they went through and today s discrimination. The removal of American Indian tribes is one of theRead MoreNative American And The American Of Native Americans1451 Words   |  6 PagesThe Native American population has suffered many tragedies at the hands of the United States government, from their first interactions through the mid-twentieth century. Government policies concerning American Indians worked in conjunction with the prejudices harbored by the majority of the white population in the United States to suppress Native American liberties and strip them of their cultural identity. These policies gave little to n o regard for Native American customs, personal expression,Read MoreNative American And Native Americans1292 Words   |  6 PagesStates, Native Americans are considered to be people whose pre-Columbian ancestors were indigenous to the lands within the nation s modern boundaries. These peoples were composed of numerous distinct tribes, bands, and ethnic groups, and many of these groups survive intact today as sovereign nations. The terms Native Americans use to refer to themselves vary regionally and generationally, with many older Native Americans self-identifying as Indians or American Indians, while younger Native AmericansRead MoreNative American And Native Americans1221 Words   |  5 Pages1607, the Native Americans have been treated poorly by the Europeans. The settlers came and stripped the Natives of their land by wars that the Natives were not equipped to fight. Native Americans were forced to move towards the west into uncharted territory and many died on the journey. Th e American government later made many promises to the Native Americans that were unkept, which had a very troubling effect on their communities. The promises the United States government made to the Native AmericansRead MoreNative American And Native Americans871 Words   |  4 Pages Native Americans have been forced out of their culture over time, forced into assimilation, lost their rights, and have lost their land due to policies and laws by the whites that can’t bear the Native American way of life. There used to be many Native American tribes all throughout North America, and now these tribes are spread across the country and are blended into the rest of the population. The native ways have changed drastically in the last two centuries due to relocation programs, IndianRead MoreNative American And Native Americans1187 Words   |  5 Pagesmany Native American had already been there and the government were building railroads and roads. People rushed to settle in the we st to mine for gold. Cities and town along with railroad and roads building at a rapid pace changed the habits of the buffalo. Buffalo were an important symbol in the Native Americans live they used buffalo as their main food source and they use the skin to make clothes and teepee covering , bones for silverware and hunting tools like arrow. The Native Americans makeRead MoreNative American And Native Americans950 Words   |  4 Pages countries went through imperialism, reconstruction and wars to pursuit their freedom. Native American’s embarked on new discoveries in America, which began conflicts with White Americans wanting control over what Native American had. Native Americans believed in freedom for the nation, but things began to change for them, when White American passed the Indians removal act. African American and Native American had similar experiences to pursuit their freedom. Both races were treated like they didn’tRead MoreNative American And Native Ame ricans1156 Words   |  5 Pageswith the Native Americans. The whites had different ideas that they wanted to contribute to the country, and the Native Americans wanted to stay loyal to their cultural traditions. The early people of the United States gradually gained control of the country. This lead to Native Americans being methodically pushed off their land, deceived multiply through a broken treaty, and most of all, not being completely recognized as citizens by the rest of American society. Some of these Native American groupsRead MoreNative American And Native Americans1832 Words   |  8 Pagessettlements and still maintain a sense of self and native cultural identity. Many of the hardships experienced by the Native American Indians were the results of empty promises made by European settlers who used foreign laws, religion, and language barriers to oppress those Indians who were willing to conform. Later, and further into the development of the United States, foreign laws and languages were used as a premise to manipulate the Native Americans into giving up their promised lands so big businessesRead MoreNative American And Native Americans2251 Words   |  10 Pageshistorical evidence, the notion: â€Å"Native –Americans were not the first inhabitant of America is a complete false. For centuries, history kept accurate and vivid account of the first set of people who domiciled the western hemisphere. Judging by that record and evidence, below are the first set of Native-American people who inhabited the western hemisphere, including the new â€Å"America† before the arrival of another human race†¦ The Iroquois: The Iroquois of Native Americans were one of the tribes that lived