Question

Marcia and Erikson seemed to make the assumption that adolescents who have achieved a stable identity status are unlikely to go back to an early stage. However, what did Marcia find in a follow up study?

Some adolescents who has achieved a sense of identity had returned to the foreclosure or diffusion status
a) Some adolescents who has achieved a sense of identity had returned to the foreclosure or diffusion status
b) All adolescents who achieved identity remained in the same status c) Adolescents always progressed to a higher identity status d) Adolescents never experienced changes in identity status

Answer 1

Marcia's follow-up study found that some adolescents reverted from a stable identity achievement to earlier stages such as foreclosure or diffusion, suggesting that identity formation can be fluid and subject to change.

Step-by-step explanation:

In adolescence, the development of a personal identity is crucial, as theorized by Erikson. Marcia, building upon Erikson's theories, studied identity achievement in adolescents. His findings challenge the notion that once a stable identity is reached, it is maintained consistently throughout life. Marcia's follow-up study indicated that some adolescents who had achieved a sense of identity had regressed to an earlier stage, either to the foreclosure or diffusion status. This shows that identity status is not always a linear progression and can be fluid, changing based on new experiences and challenges.

The correct answer to the original question is (a) Some adolescents who had achieved a sense of identity had returned to the foreclosure or diffusion status.