Concept
Ego identity
In Erikson's theory, the sense, consolidated in adolescence, of being the same person over time and of being recognised as such by others. It joins the identifications of childhood, one's own capacities and the roles a society offers into a coherent whole; Erikson held it to be an achievement of the ego's synthesising work rather than something given, and to remain open to revision across the life cycle.
Read more- Narrower concepts
- Psychosocial moratorium
- Introduced by
- Erik Erikson
- Key works
- 3
- Related
- Identity diffusion
introduced by
- Erik Erikson 1946 Erikson first used the term ego identity in "Ego Development and Historical Change" (1946) and gave it its fullest early treatment in "The Problem of Ego Identity" (1956), both reprinted in Identity and the Life Cycle; Identity: Youth and Crisis (1968) is his summary statement.
opposed by
- Identity diffusion In Erikson's scheme identity diffusion is the negative pole of the adolescent crisis whose positive outcome is ego identity.