The Possible Self: Family and Friend Influences on Personal Growth and Identity Development

The Possible Self: Family and Friend Influences On Personal Growth and Identity Development Author's Name The Institutional Affiliation Course Number and Name Instructor Name Assignment Due Date Introduction Identity is one of the most important parts of psychosocial functioning. It is extremely important as it reflects people's perceptions about themselves and forecasts various relational and psychosocial reactions and roles. Human identity continues to change in various phases of life and across different developmental stages (Manzi et al., 2010). A well-constructed identity consists of values, beliefs, and goals to which an individual is committed. It reflects an individual's awareness of his commitment and consistency in self, along with others' cognizance about this consistent behavior (Newen, 2018). Identity development is not an isolated process based on an individual but a social phenomenon. The identity of an individual is developed mostly during adolescence. It's the stage during which an individual transitions from childhood to adulthood. The cognitive development at this stage enables an individual to create a 'theory of self.' This theory is constructed based on role models around an individual, cultural factors, and identity options (Newen, 2018). Identity development is extremely important as it ushers into a highly important period for an individual's personal growth and development. Research has revealed that individual identity is influenced by many factors, such as family, friends, environment, and culture (Jones et al., 2014). A considerable impact accompanies the change in identity on an individual's personal growth. The self-concept or idea of possible self changes due to major shifts in life or situational demands of an individual. These changes often occur during stages of life transition. These stages can be attributed to numerous factors such as family life, including childbirth, marriage or bereavement, and socio-economic pursuits, including finishing studies, beginning a new job, or retirement (Manzi et al., 2010). This essay explores the notion of possible self and the way the opinions of family and friends shape it. It also sheds light on the influence of family and peers on individuals' personal growth and identity formation. Discussion Possible Self Individuals concentrate on their anticipated identities in career, marriage, and parenthood while they are adolescents and transitioning from childhood to adulthood. In 1986, psychologists Markus and Nurius regarded such a 'future-projected' version of identity as a 'possible self. It is not a true identity but is still in the developmental stage (Bak, 2015). It consists of an individual's knowledge about self and their perception of their future self. The possible self of an individual is rooted in past experiences but consists of possibilities about the future as well. It can also be called the imagined version of an individual about themselves in the upcoming times (Bak, 2015). The possible self is the cognitive reflection of one's fears, fantasies, and hopes. Possible selves are not only based on an individual's views about oneself but also the perceived expectations from other individuals in society. These expectations are also the result of relationships in which an individual is involved (Kerpelman & Pittman, 2001). These relationships could be parent-child, friends, or professional, as they all contribute to developing perceived expectations about an individual. The identity is explored and constructed among peers through two contexts such as dating and friendships (Kerpelman & Pittman, 2001). Some aspects present in possible self are highly sensitive to feedback or opinions from the surroundings, which is a key point in exploring identity. The perceived prospects of people about themselves are reflected in their possible selves, which construe a fundamental part of their identity. It consists of expected selves, what an individual expects to be; desired selves, which an individual intends and likes to be; and feared selves, which a person is extremely afraid to be. Perceived selves are based partly on perceptions of the self in the past and partially on others' expectations about oneself, but they are also conceived in the future (Garcia & Pintrich, 2023). Due to its conceptualization in the future, there is probability of change in the self-concept. Studies have revealed that possible selves are usually changed because of a shift in one or more identity elements, which includes the acquisition or loss of a new social role (Manzi et al., 2010). The changes in an individual's social role considerably impact his identity. Possible Selves and Enduring Identity Change Breakwell (1986) has described cognitive procedures of accommodation and assimilation in ensuing lasting change in identity. His proposition is grounded on theories of cognitive development presented by Piaget in 1936 (Manzi et al., 2010). These terms demonstrate various ways in which the structure and content of self-concept continue to change with time. The process through which individuals integrate new and different identity elements into their self-conception is called assimilation (Bormanaki & Khoshhal, 2017). Therefore, an individual who becomes a mother incorporates this new identity element into his self-concept; after incorporating such an element, the self-concept of an individual changes considerably. Accommodation refers to the rearrangement and adjustment in the content and structure of self-concept to create space for the newly incorporated element. For example, after assuming the role of a mother, the prevalent identity content is reinterpreted and arranged as per the element of a new identity and vice versa. Assimilation is based on the will and wish of individuals to become a better and enhanced version of themselves. The newly incorporated identity elements act as forces of motivation for deriving changes in the possible selves (Mannarini et al., 2020). The possible selves act as agents of motivation for individuals if they face numerous issues in materializing their imagined selves (Harrison, 2018). Similarly, individuals analyze whether this new content materializes the possible self after acquiring new identity content. Continuous validation and affirmation cannot be ignored when causing changes or strengthening the possible selves, as they can lead to identity changes in people. The instability in the possible selves of the individuals because of the varying feedback of different socialization agents can also create confused personalities (Manzi et al., 2010). It can also make them skeptical about their role models and choices, as everyone in the social environment does not approve of them (Manzi et al., 2010). Individuals' personal growth and identity formation can be slowed down due to such circumstances. It can be witnessed during adolescence, when an individual's playful and nonchalant possible self might get approval from his peers but is usually disapproved by family members or educators. The latter social agents require adolescents to be focused on developing skills and taking studies seriously. This is one of the major reasons why the possible selves of adolescents are continuously swaying. Contribution of Family in Shaping Personal Self and Impact on Personal Growth And Identity Development The social context of people plays a key role in the development of their possible selves. Humans are social animals; their possible selves are inextricably tied to their socio-cultural and historical contexts. The models, images, and symbols in social, environmental, and media forums help caricature people's possible selves (Molina & Schmidt, 2020). These serve as inspirations for the creation of possible selves of people. Therefore, it can be said that both the macrocontext and microcontext play an immense role in forming people's selves by providing them with tangible and intangible models. In this regard, the family plays a pivotal role in the microcontext of the individual. It is also the primary agent of socialization of individuals (Molina & Schmidt, 2020). The personality and identity of people are highly dependent on their families as they tend to provide the first role models to them before they are mature enough to explore the outside world. Apart from providing role models, it also...