Ego identity, egocentrism, and formal operations

The present study investigated the relationships between ego identity, egocentrism, and formal operations in an adolescent setting. Also included in the study were various subscales of the different measurements, as well as grade in school and sex. It was hypothesized that a regression model could predict ego identity status from formal operations measured by the Piagetian Formal Operations Instrument (Burney, 1974) and egocentrism measured by the Adolescent Egocentrism Sociocentrism Scale (Enright, Shukla, and Lapsley, 1980). Ego identity status was determined by use of the Ego Identity Interview developed especially for adolescents by Archer (1980). The subjects were 15 males and 15 females each in grades eight, ten, twelve, and a college sophomore class. Subjects ranged in age from 13 to 24. The correlational results indicated significant and positive relationships between ego identity, formal operations, and grade. Egocentrism and sex were not found to be significantly related to ego identity per se, but egocentrism was found to be significantly negatively to vocational identity. Regression analysis revealed that grade was the most valuable predictor of ego identity, significantly explaining approximately 21 percent of the variance. Also the self-focus subscale of egocentrism, when added to grade, significantly explained 21 percent of the variance in vocational identity. Further investigation regarding the concept of egocentrism among adolescents and self-focus as it relates to vocational identity was recommended.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Department dc:contributor.department

Family and Child Development

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1982

Author dc:creator

• Wilkerson, Alice Jackie

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Protinsky, Howard O.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Sawyers, Janet K.
• Maxwell, Joseph W.
• Hinkle, Dennis E.
• Hutchins, David E.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/88611

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/88611