Facing & Opening Up to Reality

     No matter what's in our DNA, early childhood, or current life circumstances, we create our future by our current thoughts, attitude, speech, choices, & behavior. Mandela, Gandhi, and many less well-known people have demonstrated this repeatedly. We can and must create a better future. Regardless of our identity styles, WE CAN ALL LEARN TO BE MORE open to experience, introspective, self-reflective, & psychologically flexible. Everything hinges on this.

     There are "three identity styles that differ in the social-cognitive processes employed to deal with identity-relevant questions and concerns.

     ... diffuse-avoidant identity style - ‘‘reluctant to face up to and confront personal problems & decisions’’. ... predict(s) problematic qualities (eg neuroticism), coping & decisional strategies (eg disengagement), and mental health outcomes (eg depression).

     ... normative identity style - ‘‘deal with identity questions and decisional situations by conforming to the prescriptions and expectations of significant others’’. ... associated with high self-esteem & educational purpose, ... associated with the tendency to be conservative, authoritarian, & racist.

     ... informational identity style - ‘‘actively seek out, evaluate, and use self-relevant information’’. ... associated with openness to experience, introspectiveness, self-reflection, & cognitive complexity. ... the only form ... that positively predicts mature adjustment in the form of psychological hardiness, personal growth, & life purpose.” 
       Beaumont SL. Identity styles and wisdom during emerging adulthood: Relationships with mindfulness and savoring. Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research 2011; 11(2): 155-180.

 

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