Ego Identity

Book excerpt: Ego Identity: A Handbook for Psychosocial Research contains an integrated presentation of identity theory, literature reviews covering the hundreds of research studies on identity, a discussion of the techniques of interviewing for psychosocial constructs, and model Identity Status Interviews and scoring manuals for three age groups: early- and middle- adolescence, the college years and adulthood. Special attention is devoted to questions of the personality and social patterns associ ated with differing approaches to the task of identity formation, the processes and patterns of identity development, and the similarities and differences with which females and males form their sense of identity. Theory and research on Erikson's concept of intimacy is presented, including the Intimacy Status Interview and scoring manual. This handbook is also designed to serve as a model for those interested in developing and using interview techniques for any of the other Eriksonian stages of psychosocial development. This book is ideal for researchers of ego identity and intimacy, practitioners and graduate students in developmental, personality, and social psychology as well as to psychiatrists.