Identity Building and Changes in The Values System of Polish Students of Pedagogy. Longitudinal Research

Proceedings of The world conference on Future of Education

Year: 2019

DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.33422/wcfeducation.2019.09.513

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Identity Building and Changes in The Values System of Polish Students of Pedagogy. Longitudinal Research

Ewa Gurba, Dorota Czyżowska, Krzysztof Gurba and Natalia Czyżowska

 

 

ABSTRACT: 

As Arnett (2000) points out, the period between 18 and 25/29 years of age, called emerging adulthood, is a time when there is an intensive process of building young people’s identity. Answers to identity questions such as: Who am I? Where am I going? What is the meaning of my life? are key to determining one’s place in the world, and to taking up and carrying out development tasks (Havighurst, 1950).  The process of identity building can be conducted in a number of different ways. M. Berzonsky (2004) defines them with styles of identity.  He describes three styles of identity building: informational, normative, and diffuse-avoidant.  The individual’s value system is the foundation on which the individual builds the concept of his or her own person. According to Schwarz’s views (2001) it should be acknowledged that values play a motivating role in activities that ensure the realization of the vision of oneself and one’s life. The aim of the presented research was to check whether during the period of gaining educational experience during 3-year pedagogical studies changes in identity styles and hierarchy of values of young people at the beginning of adulthood take place. The longitudinal research was carried out in two stages: at the beginning of the first and at the end of the third year of studies.  In the first stage 85 people (81 women and 4 men) took part in the study and in the second stage 48 people (46 women and 2 men) were examined. In the study two methods: M. Berzonsky’s Identity Style Inventory (ISI3) and Schwartz Values Inventory were used. The results obtained indicate changes (between the first and third year of studies) in informational and normative identity style; the level of informational style decreased and the level of normative style increased. There was also a statistically significant modification of the intensity of one of the elements of values system: Achievement. During the course of studies, the intensity of this value was increased.

Keywords: identity styles; hierarchy of values; educational experience; M. Berzonsky’s Identity Style Inventory; Schwartz Values Inventory.