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Adolescent sex-role orientation and ego identity
1Department of Family and Child Development, Auburn University, AL 36849-3501.
Journal of Adolescence
|September 1, 1988
Summary
Adolescent ego development, measured by identity achievement, correlates with higher masculinity and femininity. This relationship was consistent across ethnic groups, with minimal overlap between identity and sex-role constructs.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Adolescent development involves exploring identity and understanding sex roles.
- Previous research has explored links between ego development and gender identity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between ego development and sex-role development in adolescents.
- To examine potential ethnic differences in this relationship.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status to assess ego development (diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, identity achievement).
- Employed the Personal Attributes Questionnaire Short Form to measure masculinity and femininity.
- Sample included 9th-12th grade Anglo-American and Mexican-American students.
Main Results:
- No significant ethnic differences were found in the relationship between ego identity and masculinity/femininity.
- Identity-achieved adolescents showed higher masculinity for ideological identity compared to other ego statuses.
- Identity-achieved adolescents reported higher levels of both masculinity and femininity for interpersonal identity compared to other statuses.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent identity achievement is associated with higher levels of masculinity and femininity, particularly in interpersonal identity formation.
- The findings suggest that while ego and sex-role development are related, they largely represent distinct constructs with limited shared variance.
- The observed relationships were consistent across Anglo-American and Mexican-American student groups.