Key Takeaways
- Identity vs. confusion is a key stage in Erikson’s theory that focuses on developing a clear sense of self during adolescence.
- Forming a strong identity leads to confidence, purpose, and healthier relationships.
- Setting goals and exploring your interests can strengthen your identity and help you overcome role confusion.
Identity versus role confusion is the fifth stage of ego in psychologist Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. This stage occurs during adolescence between the ages of approximately 12 and 18. During this stage, adolescents explore their independence and develop a sense of self.
Verywell / Nusha Ashjaee
Understanding Identity vs. Role Confusion
- Psychosocial conflict: Identity vs. role confusion
- Major question: “Who am I?”
- Basic virtue: Fidelity
- Important event(s): Social relationships
Identity vs. role confusion is a stage characterized by asking, “Who am I?” and learning more about one’s goals, values, and beliefs.
According to Erikson, people progress through several stages as they grow and change throughout life. During each stage, everyone faces a developmental conflict that must be resolved to successfully develop the primary virtue of that stage. Erikson was interested in how social interaction and relationships affect development and growth.
What Do Identity and Role Confusion Mean?
As they transition from childhood to adulthood, teens may begin to feel confused or insecure about themselves and how they fit into society. As they seek to establish a sense of self, teens may experiment with different roles, activities, and behaviors. According to Erikson, this is important to the process of forming a strong identity and developing a sense of direction in life.
One of the main elements of Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory is the development of ego identity. It is the conscious sense of self that we develop through social interaction, which is constantly changing due to new experiences and information we acquire in our daily interactions with others.
Identity
Erikson defines identity as a “fundamental organizing principle which develops constantly throughout the lifespan.”
Identity involves the experiences, relationships, beliefs, values, and memories that make up a person’s subjective sense of self. This helps create a continuous self-image that remains fairly constant even as new aspects of the self are developed or strengthened over time. Identity provides:
- Self-sameness: A sense of continuity within the self and in interaction with others
- Uniqueness: A frame to differentiate between self and interaction with others
- Psychosocial development: Mental and physical health for adolescents
During the identity vs. role confusion stage, the conflict is centered on developing a personal identity. Completing this stage leads to a strong sense of self throughout life.
Role Confusion
Kids who are not allowed to explore and test out different identities might be left with what Erikson referred to as role confusion, which can result in the following:
- Being unsure of who you are and where you fit
- Drifting from one job or relationship to another
- Feeling disappointed and confused about your place in life
Other Influences on Identity
Some more recent theories have focused on the importance of social identity and how those identities, and the intersection of those identities, influence the development of individual identity and roles.
One such theory is known as the “Big 8.” It describes socially constructed identities that are defined by factors including social, physical, or mental characteristics. Some examples of social identities include:
Why Having a Strong Identity Matters
- Commitment: Resolving the crisis at this stage of development involves committing to a particular identity. This might involve committing to a career path, deciding what social groups to associate with, and even developing a sense of personal style.
- Self-confidence: Those who are able to develop a strong sense of identity are better able to have self-confidence, or a sense of trust in their abilities, qualities, and judgments.
- Sense of independence: Those who receive proper encouragement and reinforcement through personal exploration will emerge from this stage with a strong sense of self and a feeling of independence and control. Those who remain unsure of their beliefs and desires will remain insecure and confused about themselves and the future.
- Fidelity: Those who succeed in developing a strong identity also forge fidelity, a psychological virtue characterized by the ability to relate to others and form genuine relationships. This ability plays an important role in the upcoming stage known as intimacy versus isolation.
- Better mental health and relationships: Research has shown that teens who have a strong sense of identity have better mental health. They are also more likely to have good relationships with their peers and have better emotional and psychological well-being.
Researchers have found that people who enter young adulthood with a strong sense of identity are also more successful in subsequent stages of life, including intimacy, generativity, and integrity.
What Shapes Your Sense of Identity
There are various factors that contribute to whether a person forms a strong identity:
- Friends
- Family
- Schoolmates
- Other social groups
- Societal trends
- Pop culture
Different identities can also intersect to shape a person’s overall sense of self.
Stages of Identity Development
Influenced in part by Erikson’s theory, psychologist James Marcia described four identity statuses. These statuses represent different points in the development of identity.
In Marcia’s theory, identity forms due to exploring different identity alternatives and then making commitments to different ideas and values. These four statuses are:
- Identity diffusion (role confusion): At this point, a person has not explored or made identity commitments.
- Identity foreclosure: This involves committing to an identity without exploring other options, often as a result of peer pressure, conformity, cultural expectations, or parental pressure.
- Identity moratorium: This is a period of active exploration where an individual tries new things and seeks out alternatives.
- Identity achievement: This status involves having explored different options and then making a commitment to an identity. This does not necessarily end with adolescence. It can ultimately be a long process that creates self-awareness and a strong sense of self.
Ways to Build a Stronger Sense of Identity
No matter where you are in your life, there are things you can do to help build a stronger sense of identity. For example
- Consider your values: Thinking about what your values are helps solidify your identity. Core values are those things that are really important and meaningful to you and that motivate you and guide your decisions.
- Learn about yourself: It’s important to spend time alone to get to know yourself better. Those quiet moments can help you focus on your priorities and improve your sense of self.
- Practice self-compassion: Showing yourself kindness and compassion can help you better understand and accept your flaws and limitations.
Become skilled at things you enjoy. Taking time to find and practice hobbies can help you get greater acquainted with yourself.
What Happens When You Struggle With Role Confusion
Role confusion can have lasting consequences on a person’s life, including:
- Difficulties with commitment: A stable personal identity allows individuals to have better relationships with others.
- Worse mental health and well-being: Research has linked a strong sense of identity to better emotional and psychological well-being in adolescents.
- Weak sense of self: Role confusion has been found to lead to a weak sense of self.
- Lack of confidence: Poor self-identity can make it difficult for people to have confidence in themselves and their abilities.
How to Overcome Role Confusion and Find Direction
- Build on your strengths: Identify the areas in your life in which you excel, and take time to develop and build on those strengths. As you develop those skills even more, you may find other aspects of yourself that are also important to your identity.
- Try new things to discover what you like: Be open to trying new things and having new experiences. Think about your passions and interests. Brainstorm some ideas around things that excite you. Sometimes you might try things and decide you don’t like them. That’s also part of personal growth. It helps you clarify what matters to your identity and eliminates feelings of confusion.
- Make commitments and set goals: While you can set goals in any part of your life, consider thinking about some common areas like health, career, finances, and education. Having goals gives you a better sense of what you want to work toward and which aspirations are central to your sense of self.
- Participate in activities related to your interests: Whether church events or clubs for sports, take the initiative to become part of something that interests you. This might involve finding a new hobby, joining community groups, or even just getting together with friends to enjoy a shared pastime.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Additional Reading
Erikson EH. Childhood and Society, 2nd ed. Norton; 1963.
Erikson EH. Identity: Youth and Crisis. Norton; 1968.
Erikson EH. The Life Cycle Completed. Norton; 1982.
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