Identity

Context mapping is a rather simple concept when your life is in a place that allows you to separate all of the different working parts.  When you are younger, it may be a bit more difficult to find yourself and to be able to label all of the parts in it.  One may be trying to decipher who they even are in their younger years, to be able to define everything in your life at that point would be a difficult task.  When I attended middle and high school, it was difficult for me to even figure out what I wanted to do in the future.  I could tell you what was immediately important to me but I could not list what was essential in my life.  Ironically, Mitch asks Julian what he thinks other people think, or see of him.  When I was in middle school and high school I had little to no clue about some parts of my identity.

There are four different identities and ways that a person may perceive themselves.  There are many different personalities and traits a person may hold, therefore, youth may have had different influences in their life that may have enforced these identities.  Foreclosed Identity is an identity that an individual has committed to a life direction or way of being without exploring it carefully and without experimenting with alternatives.  Diffuse Identity is a state in which there has been little exploration or active consideration of a particular identity and no psychological commitment to one.  Identity Moratorium one actively explores roles and beliefs, behaviors and relationships, but refrains from making a commitment.  Achieved Identity when the identity crisis is resolved and the commitment to the selected identity is high.

Here is an example and picture of my context map, in other words, my identity!