Identity and Social Change: Case Studies of Indian Psychology Students

Abstract

This paper explores the identity development of seven Indian students of psychology using the case study method. An attempt is made to understand the process of social change as manifested in individual development and involvement in social institutions. The analysis is based on Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development and existing Indian literature on child socialisation. It emerges that the discipline of psychology provides these studen ts with the vocabulary to articulate their problems and the analytical con structs to deal with them. The paper shows that even as psychology influences the inter action of these individuals with a society in transition, the evolution of the discipline in India is itself likely to be influenced by the concerns that these students bring to it.