Relationships and Identity

Social contexts, i.e., peers and ones environment (think media impact) and ones own personal experiences have a big effect on personal development. They all combine to work together to form a persons identity at a time when identity is being formed (adolescence). The interaction between social norms, peer example, media, personal motivations, self-perception, and values can be seen in Tatums article about identity. The way people relate is examined by Thorpe and Kuperberg, who examine hook-up culture in college. Ultimately, the articles beg the question: What is motivating young people to act, to form relationships, to see themselves in a particular light? The argument of this reflection is that the prime motivation is a combination of social needs, expectations, and desires supported by a value system informed by sources ranging...

Identity can rise up like a hot air balloon and one can feel empowered by itbut ones balloon might also be empty because one does feel like there is enough of one particular element to...…different identity when that one is no longer viable in connection to personal or professional goals.

The readings raise several questions. For example, how do people reconcile conflicting aspects of their identity when social expectations clash with personal values? What role does self-reflection play in resolving these conflicts, and how can educational institutions support young people throughout this process? How do these processes change after college? What long-term effects do they have on one's sense of self and relationships? There is a lot to unpack here. But ultimately the authors show that there are layers to identity and that these layers may impact how people relate to one another and even to their sense…