Forming identities in college: A sociological approach

Pg 465 – “…Interplay among three components of a person’s identity: the person’s felt identity (self-concept), the person’s presentation of his or her identity to others (presented self), and the identity attributed or imputed by others to the person (Goffman, 1959, 1963).”

~ Nice way of explaining interplay of identity with surroundings and cultures.

Pg 466 – “Others, such as Kinney (1993) and Snow and Anderson (1987), substitute the term “personal identity” for felt identity.”

~ If personal identity is “felt” identity. Than what would the opposite be? External identity is “seen” idenity?

Pg 466 – “A symbolic interactionist framework lets us consider not only face-to-face interaction between students and teachers, students and students, and other such encounters (as described by students) but also the feelings, thoughts, and interpretations of students as they experience college…”

~ Symbolic interactionist framework covers actual actions and also what is felt and thought and known through those actions.

Pg 476 – “…We may say that a self-perceived identity of being intelligent and knowledgeable can become a role identity that individuals bring with them into other structural locations…”

~ Idea of role identity and personal identity again.

Pg 480 – “Social networking is generally viewed as a way to make contacts that will allow for the successful achievement of occupational goals…”

~ Importance of social networks/cultures on college students to reach goals.

Pg 480 – “Although we certainly do not refute this function of college, networking may also serve a latent function for individuals in terms of their felt identities. By making ties and contacts with peers and professors, students may not only advance their occupational standing but, additionally, they may form and reinforce their self-perceived occupational identity.”

~ An advance in one section of self (identity of knowing people) advances other sections of self (future occupation).

Pg 480 – “Networking coincides with the development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships, allowing for the identities of students to be constructed, to be felt, and, ultimately, to be imputed by significant others.”

~ Chickering.

Pg 481 – “Such activities may influence individuals’ “possible self” as they pertain to the future occupation of students by providing examples of what they might become, what they hope to become, and what they are afraid of becoming (Markus and Nurius, 1986).”

~ Need to research this!

Kaufman, P., Feldman, K. A. (2004). Forming identities in college: A sociological approach. Research in Higher Education, 45(5). Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://www.springerlink.com/content/vw54j76260k27168/.