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Identity Agents: Parents as Active and Reflective Participants in Their Children's Identity Formation
Author(s) -
Schachter Elli P.,
Ventura Jonathan J.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of research on adolescence
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.342
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1532-7795
pISSN - 1050-8392
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-7795.2008.00567.x
Subject(s) - identity (music) , psychology , identity formation , mainstream , identification (biology) , social identity approach , developmental psychology , social psychology , presentation (obstetrics) , self concept , social identity theory , social group , aesthetics , medicine , philosophy , botany , theology , radiology , biology
The paper introduces the concept of identity agents . This concept refers to those individuals who actively interact with children and youth with the intention of participating in their identity formation, and who reflectively mediate larger social influences on identity formation. This contrasts with the focus of mainstream research in the identity field that tends to portray adolescents as the sole reflective agents involved in mature identity development. The paper presents a theoretical analysis presenting the importance of the concept for the formulation of a comprehensive contextual theory of identity formation. The particulars of this concept are illustrated through the presentation of a qualitative report of religious parents actively encouraging their children's processes of identification, co‐participating in their children's identity's formation, and reflectively deliberating their parental roles and goals in regards to this process.