Prof. Jalon Swaniawski Sr.
Feb 13, 2025
What is a song that uses identity foreclosure?
What is a song that uses the concept of identity foreclosure? Could members please provide an answer? I'm interested in understanding how this psychological concept is represented in music.
1 Answers
“The River” recorded by Bruce Springsteen (The River, label, 1980) is a song that uses identity foreclosure.
See the lyrics to "The River" at SpringsteenLyrics.com.
Refining and extending Erik Erikson’s work, James Marcia developed four Identity Statuses of psychological identity development.
Identity Foreclosure means that the adolescent blindly accepts the identity and values that were given in childhood by families and significant others. The adolescent's identity is foreclosed until they determine their true identity for themselves. The adolescent in this state is committed to an identity, but not as a result of their own searching or crisis.
Identity Moratorium - the adolescent has acquired vague or ill-formed ideological and occupational commitments; he/she is still undergoing the identity search (crisis). They are beginning to commit to an identity but are still developing it.
Identity Diffusion - the state of having no clear idea of one's identity and making no attempt to find that identity. These adolescents may have struggled to find their identity, but they never resolved it, and they seem to have stopped trying. There is no commitment and no searching.
Identity Achievement - the state of having developed well-defined personal values and self-concepts. Their identities may be expanded and further defined in adulthood, but the basics are there. They are committed to an ideology and have a strong sense of ego identity.
“Like a Rolling Stone” recorded by Bob Dylan (Bob Dylan Unplugged, Columbia, 1995) uses Identity Diffusion.
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” recorded by U2 (The Joshua Tree, label, 1987) uses Identity Moratorium.
“Real Woman” recorded by Roseanne Cash (Interiors, label, 1990) uses Identity Achievement.
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