Discussion: Representations of Identity Essay (Critical Writing)

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Introduction

When you analyze the Task Stimulus illustration, it is possible to observe a group of people that are sitting around the table and attempting to assemble a puzzle in the shape of a human head. The head, in this particular case, mirrors the personal identity that, as well as puzzles, needs to be compiled into pieces. In general, identity is a combination of features and values that distinguishes one member or party from another. Experiences, emotions, interactions, and beliefs are all elements of it. Identity is not laid down from birth but is formed throughout life since it is based on the connection with different social spheres that provoke the adoption of experience and sharing of views and ideas. Accordingly, the human’s perception of their relation to some conviction or opinion is influenced by both people and context, which are combined into institutions. Even if someone is a “couch potato”, he will certainly feel the surrounding that tends to stick to him like glue.

Identity Formation

To my mind, a person is a social being that is a part of the global community and is forced to communicate and interact with the outside world. During adolescence, identity formation is a critical developmental stage with various public health consequences (Schwartz & Petrova, 2018). While shaping the identity, the influence of adult role models is essential. It gives patterns for youth to set up their identification, and if the positive role examples are absent, youngsters acquire a confused or unpleasant sense of individuality (Schwartz & Petrova, 2018). I suppose that people who influence the formation of the identity are directly the representatives of the institutions that cooperate with an individual from their date of birth. For example, the education system, which includes human presence, plays one of the key roles in shaping identity since it provides the children with a system of values, attitudes, and knowledge. Individuals form groups that later expand to the level of social institutions, which create the external environment of each person.

I strongly believe that the context of an action is a framework that encompasses it and offers resources for its correct understanding. Identity can be built not only with the assistance of the surrounding world and people but also in the context of a particular situation, which varies. For instance, young individuals in Western countries who are unable to integrate their multiple identities (gender, ethnicity, religion) and functions into an internally coherent whole are more inclined to disclose poor well-being and depression complaints (Schwartz & Petrova, 2018). In other terms, I think it is essential to pay attention to the context of the development of individuality in order to estimate its effectiveness. In the context of the family, a person can feel like a part of their environment of relatives and friends. By contrast, they, for example, experience discrimination at school based on ethnicity, so they are embarrassed to correspond to the group of people they represent, grounded on their family’s history. Consequently, in my opinion, the same persona is able to demonstrate different levels of individual perception according to numerous context situations. In some cases, you just have to bite the bullet because the context conditions can be inevitable.

Conclusion

In conclusion, identity is, first of all, a sense of self-determination and connection of oneself to an idea, group, or value that is different from others. To make a long story short, the development of individuality is influenced by the actions of society and the context of events. People can play an important role in creating identity, being surrounded by them, and being part of formations and institutions that preach a ubiquitous approach. I can finally say that context is capable of depicting the life spheres that are far from self-actualization.

Reference

Schwartz, S.J., Petrova, M. (2018). Fostering healthy identity development in adolescence. Nature Human Behaviour, 2, 110–111. Web.

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IvyPanda. 2022. "Discussion: Representations of Identity." November 12, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/discussion-representations-of-identity/.

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