Identity Crisis Most Psychological Theorists Essay

He drifts in and out of jobs and relationships and this behavior confuses the issue for him even more. He cannot find a stable self-definition or final cause on which to focus his efforts and self-definition. This leads to him questioning who he really is.

To understand what a person's self-concept or identity one needs to understand the context within a person lives. In addition, in modern Western societies the conceptualization of one's identity is more fluid than many other cultures. It may be this fluidity that is not allowing Aron to grasp specific meaning in his life narrative. Without very traditional and defined standards Aron may be looking for some anchor to grasp in developing a sense of identity as in foreclosure. Self-identity becomes defined by the context of the person, the society to which they belong, social groups, cultural factors, and legal statues of a society. Aron may be having trouble incorporating a stable sense of what path he should follow and what it is he wants to achieve based on these parameters.

Aron would need to identify with some group or cause in order to begin to find a sense of self-identity. Very often such a cause can be found in service work or helping others. Through giving of oneself in order to benefit others one can begin to develop a sense of purpose in one's life. This sense of purpose assigns meaning to one's existence and that meaning leads to the development of an identity. Likewise, developing a stable relationship such as finding a stable partner, identifying with family, or having children (this does not mean he should get someone pregnant) often results in one giving of oneself to others in a selfless manner. This can define the parameters of the self for a person and help them develop a sense of identity. Often people can find their identity by focusing on helping others as opposed to questioning themselves, searching for meaning, and focusing on what they should be…