Explain the dimensions of commitment and crisis in James Marcia's theory of adolescent development, and describe how they combine to produce different types of adolescent identity.

What will be an ideal response?


A good answer would include the following key points:
- Marcia proposed that commitment (investment in an ideology or a course of action) and crisis (conscious choice among alternatives) were the basis for adolescent identity exploration. Combinations of the presence or absence of these factors produce four identity statuses.
- When commitment and crisis are both present, identity achievement results. An adolescent commits to a particular identity after exploring options and alternatives.
- Commitment and no crisis produces identity foreclosure; an adolescent adopts an identity without fully considering alternatives.
- No commitment coupled with crisis leads to moratorium. Here an adolescent may have explored identity alternatives but not yet committed to one.
- Finally, no commitment and no crisis produces identity diffusion. Not exploring, not committing, or not doing either results in this lack of a solid identity.

Psychology

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