Ella Runestad

Psychology 240: Developmental Psychology

Project 2
12/1/21
 A person who is in the stage of adolescence has entered puberty and will continue to be considered an
adolescent until independence is achieved. According to Erik Erikson’s developmental theory, adolescents are in the
stage of identity vs identity confusion. The central process involves role experimentation and psychosocial
moratorium in the way that they go out into the world and try to figure out who they are and where they belong in
society. Successful resolution of this stage should result in a strong and consistent sense and confidence in their
identity. Unsuccessful resolution often appears to be a loss in a sense of self and belonging as well as many conflicts
within themselves and with those around them in society who are unlike them.
According to Erikson, without resolution of prior stages, it is difficult to successfully resolve the following
stages. For example, if an adolescent has not resolved the first stage in development, trust vs. mistrust, they would
have a difficult time achieving a sense of autonomy because they may have a difficult time trusting in their
decisions. This rolls forward onto the next stage and the one after that and so on. Not resolving the stages before
stage six, identity vs identity confusion will result in difficulty resolving the sixth stage. Similarly, if one does not
resolve the stage of identity vs identity confusion, they will be unable to resolve the next stage: intimacy vs
isolation. A person cannot develop intimacy (sexual or other) without knowing who they are and a sense of identity.
If a person with no sense of identity would end up in an intimate relationship, they would begin to only focus on the
other person, they would be unable to have their own schedule or life without constantly being enveloped in their
partner’s life. If the relationship would ever end, they would have no idea who they were or how they were supposed
to fit into society and would end up needing to resolve identity vs identity confusion to continue successfully in
future intimacy. The resolution of each stage is crucial in further development.
When looking at score resolution overall from the MPD, the scores are between the 5th and 35th percentile
compared to others in the 18 to 24 age range of the female sex. This means that I am is anywhere higher in my stage
resolution than 5 to 35 percent of people in this age and gender category. Based on my scores relative to my peers, I
am less resolved than over half of my peers but still seem to be successful. I still seem to have some sense of
resolution within the stages even though the scores are in the lower percentiles. Perhaps I have left the stages
resolved but with slightly more of the negative aspect than my other peers that are in higher percentiles. I would
expect to have a basic sense of trust, and a sense of where belonging in society with values about my views and
opinions, as well as an understanding of how the world works overall. I can deal with conflict somewhat
constructively and I am interested in learning and gaining knowledge. I am continuing to find myself and establish a
stronger sense of identity even though the stage is presumably resolved. I have not found that intimate relationship,
perhaps due to life or fate or perhaps due to a still-developing sense of identity. Overall, I am still developing, and
the resolution scores show that, as well as match up to having some stages lacking complete resolution based on
observation of all of the scores.
Looking at all of the scores, including positive and negative, while mainly focusing on resolution scores, I
noticed that the highest aspects were in trust and identity. This makes sense because there is a significant tie between
trust and identity. One cannot figure out who they are and develop a basic sense of identity if they fear the world and
those around them. On the other hand, I observed that my score is lower, percentile-wise, in initiative vs. guilt and
industry vs inferiority. Besides focusing on the stages that take place during adolescence and early adulthood, I felt
the importance of highlighting that there may be a feeling of increased guilt and inferiority than some of my peers.
In school or work this could appear as heightened fear of mistakes, indecisiveness, and confusion over what I am
truly successful in or what I could do to initiate a sense of achievement. Due to the nature of Erikson’s stages, a
small feeling of the “negative” part of the stage is normal and productive to development and personality but with
my scores, it seems like the “negative” is slightly higher than those of my peers and could make a difference in my
personality, and success in society and their future.
The stages that I am moving through are identity vs identity confusion and intimacy vs isolation. The
resolution scores show that I have resolved and most likely have a basis for my identity. This would look like an
understanding of where I fit into life as well as in society as a whole. I also will experience re-evaluation of my
identity throughout the years but probably have a baseline to revert to during this period because this stage is
resolved to some extent. If this were to happen, the stage would still be resolved but it would continue to evolve. I
would grow within my identity. I have goals and aspirations as well as a vision or dream of my future. I am doing
well, physically, emotionally, mentally, academically, and feel a sense of belonging in most aspects of life.
I have resolved the stage of identity vs identity confusion I am moving onto the next stage: intimacy vs
isolation. Right now, I could be holding the feeling of being slightly lost relationship-wise and could be yearning or
wishing for an intimate relationship because of the strong resolution and achievement of identity. For one to resolve
this stage, they need to find a person to be intimate with, either romantically, sexually, or have a deep friendship or
another kind of relationship. This intimacy would appear to be deeper than surface level with extensive knowledge
of and about each other. They would feel safe and content with this person and would not experience much personal
conflict because of the sense of identity from the previous stage. Psychosocial-wise, I would be able to commit to
personal relationships and partnerships as well as committing and sticking my views and opinions when met with
opposition instead of trying to fit in and blend in with my peers. I am also able to care for and understand a person
without losing my sense of identity. I would possess my interests separate from a partner, and communicate
meaningfully often, and withhold the ability to function as a whole without my partner. Being in an intimate
relationship is just adding a “we to me” instead of gaining the “we” and losing the “me.”
Relating the MPD results to my personal life is interesting and wildly accurate to my life now and my
impressions about myself. While thinking about each stage and the depth of the resolution, I understood and was
able to relate my scores to my life today. According to the theory, I ought to be in the stage of intimacy vs isolation,
with a successful sense of identity. While I have not found an intimate relationship (sexual or other) that would play
a part in assisting in the achievement of this stage, I have spent the past year working on myself and developing my
identity which is spot on with my scores. Identity is one of my highest scores which I relate to a successful
resolution. Along with identity, my other highest score is in trust. I find this to be a strong trait in myself and a value
that I find important in relationships. My lowest scores were overall were intimacy (probably because it has not been
resolved), initiative, and industry. I have been able to put a finger to the “why” that could be causing these scores to
be lower within my resolution scores and relative to my peer’s scores.
Some big factors that I could relate to my development in life and within the stages include moving,
growing up with a brother who was unmedicated for a long time for severe hyperactive ADHD, struggles with
mental health, and a recent diagnosis with inattentive ADHD. I moved towns three times within the time and age
period of stages two and three: initiative vs. guilt and industry vs inferiority. I would attribute these moves to my
lower scores within these stages compared to my peers. Because I moved, I had a hard time trying new things and
staying involved in them and I also do not have any current friends from that stage in my life due to the move. This
was also a time when my brother was at his worst behaviorally and I recognize that I could have a stronger feeling
of guilt because the focus was mostly on my brother; I lacked feeling enjoyment in many things because the
enjoyment was almost always interrupted by my brother. This could have developed a stronger sense of guilt
compared to my peers that I have continued to carry with me. While I still feel like I am resolved and mostly
experience initiative, I do feel as though I am more conscious of guilt and drag my feet before trying new things
compared to some of my friends.
I was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD last year and I am curious if the lack of diagnosis affected my
sense of industry in the stage of industry vs inferiority. I have always been eager to learn but upon further reflection
around the time of my diagnosis, I always had a hard time following through with projects and goals. I also moved
during the age period that this stage is in and never got fully involved in leisurely activities such as sports, musical
activities, and finding interest because we picked up and changed towns. I recognize that I lacked competence
because I never had a chance to practice to the point of becoming good enough for me and society’s standards. I was
successful in school and was academically on track even if I was not competent in other areas. I do think that I have
resolved this stage and do possess mostly industry with a little inferiority which is on track for Erikson’s standards.
Perhaps my higher scores of the “negative part” of this stage compared to my peers is due to a stronger sense of
inferiority than my others of the female sex within 18 to 24 years of age because of the undiagnosed ADHD and
moving around.
Trust vs mistrust and identity vs identity confusion are both stages that, upon observation of all of my
scores, seem to be my most resolved scores in comparison to my peers. I do have a strong sense of trust in others
and the world and do seem to possess the value that people can be trusted until that trust is broken. Within the past
year or two, I have recognized this trait and realized that it is a bit naïve so I do complete research but overall have a
strong sense of trust. One example that stands out to me has to do with friendships. I have noticed that if people are
not truthful to me, I do not try to develop a strong bond with them. I believe that my sense of trust is so deeply
ingrained that it does carry over into relationships because it is an important quality to me and has positively
affected my development. I am considered a “calming presence” and try to approach life with optimism. I have
goals and aspirations and have been a dreamer since I was little. I am also open to learning about new and different
ideas and experiencing new sensations or activities. I believe that this sense of trust has played a large role in my
development and in relationships and I now know that I can accredit this mostly to my parent’s parenting styles.
Moving forward, I believe that I will continue to keep a strong sense of trust as it is ingrained in my personality due
to my development but I am thankful that I am more knowledgeable of this and can recognize these traits’ impact in
my life.
Within my results, besides trust, my strongest resolution compared to my peers is my sense of identity. I
believe that if I had taken the MPD a year ago, my score would have been drastically different and in the opposite
direction. I am doing well now and recognize and understand who I am but the path and journey to get to where I am
mentally, and identity-wise has been long and hard. At the beginning of the school year last year (my first year in
college), my family had just moved, I had just started college in the middle of the pandemic, and I had no idea of
whom I was supposed to be outside of whom I was in high school: over-involved, busy, and exhausted. I was so
busy and involved that I had no time to think and rest and accept that I was experiencing high functioning anxiety
and depression. When that all disappeared due to the pandemic, I kept myself busy focusing and helping my family
move to a new town in a new state. It was not until I arrived at college that my life slowed down enough to allow for
a mental health downward spiral. I was severely depressed, incredibly anxious, and experienced intense and frequent
panic attacks. I had reached rock bottom and from there one can only go up so up I went. I attended weekly
counseling, was put on mood stabilizers, and began to navigate life again as well as I could. On top of school work, I
reflected, journaled, practiced meditation, and got to a place where I no longer needed medication. I was well
enough that I could focus more on whom I was supposed to be moving forward and why instead of focusing on how
to keep my head above water. The summer was the turning point in my development of identity. I was alone in a
town with no friends and a family who seemed to be building a life without me. I was also forced to choose if I
wanted to continue to be a nurse or switch majors and try something else. I continued with counseling and realized
that I had to figure out whom I was meant to be. Upon reflection, I think that a summer of feeling lost helped me
find myself when I got back to campus this fall. I continued with the nursing program, decided to double major in
Spanish, surrounded myself with activities and people that brought me joy, and set and met goal after goal. Even
though this stage usually consists of rediscovery and reevaluation I am confident that, for now, this stage is
successfully resolved.
One aspect of life that I recognize is lacking is intimacy. These past few months, I have felt a yearning for a
person who could “satisfy” or help me meet and resolve the stage of intimacy vs isolation. I have never had anything
close to an intimate relationship before and I think that my strong sense of identity has affected and strengthened this
feeling. If and when the time comes, if I still possess a sense of identity I will be ready for intimacy. Along with this
feeling of want, I have started to value deep emotional connections and conversations with friends. As for periods of
Erikson’s stages, this is right where I am supposed to be and I know now that since I have a strong sense of identity,
intimacy can and will follow.