Rosenberg's Category Analysis
Title: An analysis of how children’s identity develops over time: using Rosenberg’s study of self-descriptions (1979).
Abstract
This report is an analysis of two semi structured interviews investigating the ways individual children give self- descriptions, and how these change with age. An 8 year old girl and a 16 year old boy were interviewed separately in a familiar environment. They first wrote down their chosen self-descriptions which were then discussed with the interviewer. These were followed by a series of questions relating to self-evaluation, self and others, ideal self and the locus of self-knowledge. The results were coded using the same methodology the researcher Rosenberg used to analyse children’s self-descriptions in 1979. This report also found a developmental sequence in the way children describe themselves; younger children describe themselves using physical characteristics whereas older children mainly rely on psychological characteristics.
Introduction
Psychologists as far back as William James have long been fascinated with the emergence of a sense of identity. The first step a child takes on the road to self-understanding is establishing that he or she exists (ref. from 2009). James labelled this the ‘self as subject’ or existential self (Lewis, 1990). As the child grows and interacts with its environment, his or her daily interaction with others teaches it more about the ‘self as object’ or categorical self (Dunn, 1988). This is when a basic level of self-awareness is achieved, the child places himself and is placed by others into categories that define who they are (ref. from 2009). Harter (1983) outlined a developmental sequence in which children’s self-descriptions change as they get older, where they begin to see themselves more objectively - as if described by others (ref. from 2009). She noted that as children got older they moved from qualities of character to interpersonal traits; then finally on to reflective
Abstract
This report is an analysis of two semi structured interviews investigating the ways individual children give self- descriptions, and how these change with age. An 8 year old girl and a 16 year old boy were interviewed separately in a familiar environment. They first wrote down their chosen self-descriptions which were then discussed with the interviewer. These were followed by a series of questions relating to self-evaluation, self and others, ideal self and the locus of self-knowledge. The results were coded using the same methodology the researcher Rosenberg used to analyse children’s self-descriptions in 1979. This report also found a developmental sequence in the way children describe themselves; younger children describe themselves using physical characteristics whereas older children mainly rely on psychological characteristics.
Introduction
Psychologists as far back as William James have long been fascinated with the emergence of a sense of identity. The first step a child takes on the road to self-understanding is establishing that he or she exists (ref. from 2009). James labelled this the ‘self as subject’ or existential self (Lewis, 1990). As the child grows and interacts with its environment, his or her daily interaction with others teaches it more about the ‘self as object’ or categorical self (Dunn, 1988). This is when a basic level of self-awareness is achieved, the child places himself and is placed by others into categories that define who they are (ref. from 2009). Harter (1983) outlined a developmental sequence in which children’s self-descriptions change as they get older, where they begin to see themselves more objectively - as if described by others (ref. from 2009). She noted that as children got older they moved from qualities of character to interpersonal traits; then finally on to reflective