Symbolic Interactionist Reflections on Erikson, Identity, and Postmodernism

Erikson theorized about identities as both typified epigenetic outcomes and adaptations to cultural-historical circumstances. Neo-Eriksonians have emphasized the former, with a more narrow focus on the identity struggles of adolescents. Postmodern theorists have strongly emphasized the latter. Refle...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inIdentity (Mahwah, N.J.) Vol. 5; no. 2; pp. 161 - 174
Main Authors Weigert, Andrew J., Gecas, Viktor
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Hove Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc 01.04.2005
Psychology Press
Subjects
Adolescents
Criticism
Erikson, Erik Homburger
Identity
Postmodernism
Psychology
Self Concept
Self image
Symbolic Interactionism
Theory
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:Erikson theorized about identities as both typified epigenetic outcomes and adaptations to cultural-historical circumstances. Neo-Eriksonians have emphasized the former, with a more narrow focus on the identity struggles of adolescents. Postmodern theorists have strongly emphasized the latter. Reflecting a postmodern perspective, Rattansi and Phoenix (1997) emphasized the ephemeral and manipulated aspects of contemporary identity dynamics that diminish self and weaken core self-understandings. We argue for a symbolic interactionist perspective that incorporates both perspectives on identity within a theoretical scope that posits selves as embodied agents struggling for meaningful identities by adapting to their social and physical environments and sometimes working to change these environments through individual and collective action.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 23
ISSN:1528-3488
1532-706X
DOI:10.1207/s1532706xid0502_5