A Summary of Identity vs. Influence

Growing up is arguably the most crucial developmental part of a person’s life. There are many contributing factors to why this part of life is significant; however, the biggest one is the discovery of identity. During this part of life, a person realises who they are and who they want to be—they find their identity. This road to discovery is never a linear journey, usually involving ups and downs of personal choices and influences, which all correlate back to who that person is. These various contributing pieces are usually very individual, but there are a few that repeatedly stick out, and for dominant reasons.  

Beginning with the influence of peers. School and extracurricular activities are key parts of many adolescents' lives. Education is mandatory, but also an advantageous factor, and extracurricular activities provide numerous life skills and habits. Although they also provide adolescents with same-age interaction. This engagement helps adolescents develop meaningful relationship skills; however, it is also a useful influence for many adolescents in their search for their identity. 

Foremost, navigating through peer groups is incredibly challenging, but ultimately it shapes an individual. According to an article, “As adolescents navigate different social groups, they experiment with various roles and identities, ultimately shaping their sense of self” (McKean). By alternating peer relationships, adolescents experiment with their boundaries and emotions to uncover a part of their identity—who they enjoy being around. 

Additionally, peers also have an influence on behaviour, which can be positive or negative. In many situations, adolescents experience peer pressure, and contrary to popular belief, this pressure can be negative and positive. “Peer pressure can be either negative or positive. While negative peer pressure can lead to risky behaviours, positive peer influence (or peer support) can encourage healthy choices.” (David). Conclusively, it all depends on who an adolescent chooses to spend their time with, and those peers will have a positive or negative impact on that adolescent’s life.

Secondly, with the growing and evolving state of society, media and technology now play a larger role in adolescent identity development than ever before. Two surveys conducted by the CNA–Institute of Policy Studies show the prominent role of media and technology perfectly states, “Singaporean teens spend an average of 8.5 hours per day on screens, more time than they devote to school or sleep...46% of U.S. adolescents report being online “almost constantly [...]” (Koch). Adolescents are spending more time and effort on these platforms and devices, which, similar to before, can have both positive and negative effects. 

Some common benefits of media and technology on identity are: identity exploration, personal clarity, and community building. Firstly, media and technology enable adolescents to pursue different personas and interests. It allows them to see different parts of life and choose which ones they fit into. Secondly, when an adolescent is confused about their identity, media and technologies can occasionally improve this confusion because “social media may provide a conducive environment for receiving positive or negative social feedback on their identity” (Cascio et al.). In these situations, media and technology advance adolescents' self-concept clarity, which is the ability to understand oneself and identity clearly. Lastly, media and technology can help adolescents find their community. As stated previously, finding people who share similar values is one of the most crucial components of identity and relationships.

On the other hand, some downsides of technology and media are: unrealistic standards, comparison culture, and cyber-bullying. Each one stands out as a negative of technology and media across numerous studies, surveys, and journals for similar reasons; however, they all trace back to one thing—vulnerability. Throughout a human's lifetime, the adolescent years are the most vulnerable. This is mainly due to the fact that the brain is not fully developed, which increases the likelihood of emotional and physical vulnerability. Adolescents are also vulnerable to media and technology in particular because, “During adolescent development, brain regions associated with the desire for attention, feedback, and reinforcement from peers become more sensitive” (Weir). Adolescents are more susceptible to the negative effects of media and technology, which makes the influence on identity much higher and stronger than other factors.

On a final note, culture influences adolescents' identities. Identical to peer interactions, family relationships and connections also shape the identities of adolescents. In most situations, adolescents are surrounded by the same family members throughout development. This exposure introduces certain values, beliefs, and traditions, which all connect back to the formation of morals. Moral identity is the heart of many individuals. Particularly, for adolescents, “[...] morals substantially shape their identity, and set adolescents up on a route for the rest of their lives” (Cui et al.).  Morals help people to express what aligns with them personally throughout their life; however, morals can still be influenced by certain things, including culture. 

Additionally, in all cases, “Adolescents learn from their surroundings, with beliefs and values of a specific culture determining their self-perception and self-esteem” (Allende). By learning from the surrounding cultural values of family members, adolescents discover who they are. Humans are visual and interactive beings, and in order to form clear thoughts and revelations about life, discovery plays a significant role in that journey. 

All things considered, the discovery of an adolescent identity is a highly individualistic process, but can also be shaped by influences. Many different factors can alter an adolescent's identity; however, peers, media, technology, and culture have the most prominent role. Humans experience life in unique ways, and while it is crucial that everyone continues to use their own judgment on who they want to become, letting surrounding influences assist is not a bad thing. It is all about balance, and revealing what can be too much or too little comes with time and failure. After all, identity is unique and not dictated by anyone but the person who holds it.