What Does It Mean to Engage in Identity Exploration and to Hold Identity Commitments? A Methodological Critique of Multidimensional Measures for the Study of Identity Processes

In this article, the processes of identity exploration and commitment are considered in terms of theoretical conceptualizations and the operational definitions used in research. The perspectives of Erikson, Marcia, Luyckx, and Meeus are reviewed with respect to the multiple dimensions of these processes. Attention is focused on four exploration dimensions: (a) exploration in breadth, (b) exploration in depth, (c) reconsideration of commitment,...