Attachment--and loss.

Erik Eriksen is a remarkable individual. He has no college degrees yet is Professor of Human Development at Harvard University. He came to psychology via art, which explains why the reader will find him painting contexts and backgrounds rather than stating dull facts and concepts. He has been a training psychoanalyst for many years as well as a perceptive observer of cultural and social settings and their effect on growing up. This is not just a book on childhood. It is a panorama of our society. Anxiety in young children, apathy in American Indians, confusion in veterans of war, and arrogance in young Nazis are scrutinized under the psychoanalytic magnifying glass. The material is well written and devoid of technical jargon. The theme of the volume is that it is human to have a long childhood which will leave a lifelong residue of emotional immaturity in man. Primitive groups and

Childhood and Society.

The reference human genome sequence set the stage for studies of genetic variation and its association with human disease, but epigenomic studies lack a similar reference. To address this need, the NIH Roadmap Epigenomics Consortium generated the largest collection so far of human epigenomes for primary cells and tissues. Here we describe the integrative analysis of 111 reference human epigenomes generated as part of the programme, profiled for histone modification patterns, DNA accessibility, DNA methylation and RNA expression. We establish global maps of regulatory elements, define regulatory modules of coordinated activity, and their likely activators and repressors. We show that disease- and trait-associated genetic variants are enriched in tissue-specific epigenomic marks, revealing biologically relevant cell types for diverse human traits, and providing a resource for interpreting the molecular basis of human disease. Our results demonstrate the central role of epigenomic information for understanding gene regulation, cellular differentiation and human disease.

Integrative analysis of 111 reference human epigenomes

This review covers recent developments in the social influence literature, focusing primarily on compliance and conformity research published between 1997 and 2002. The principles and processes underlying a target's susceptibility to outside influences are considered in light of three goals fundamental to rewarding human functioning. Specifically, targets are motivated to form accurate perceptions of reality and react accordingly, to develop and preserve meaningful social relationships, and to maintain a favorable self-concept. Consistent with the current movement in compliance and conformity research, this review emphasizes the ways in which these goals interact with external forces to engender social influence processes that are subtle, indirect, and outside of awareness.

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Social Influence: Compliance and Conformity

Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling (2nd ed.)

In a sample of 2918 adolescents aged 12 to 24 years, the relation between parental and friends' social support was studied, specifically with regard to emotional problems. In addition, age and sex differences were examined. Results indicated that parental and friends' support seem to be relatively independent support systems. Although the degree of perceived support changes in the expected direction (with parental support decreasing and friends' support increasing) during early adolescence, parental support remains the best indicator of emotional problems during adolescence. The effect of friends' support appeared to depend slightly on the level of perceived parental support, with the high parental support group showing a slightly positive effect of friends' support, and the low parental support group showing a negative effect of friends' support.

Social Support from Parents and Friends and Emotional Problems in Adolescence

Identity in adolescence: change or stability

Capturing the dynamics of identity formation in various ethnic groups: development and validation of a three-dimensional model.

Longitudinal research into personal and ethnic identity has expanded considerably in the first decade of the present century. The longitudinal studies have shown that personal identity develops progressively during adolescence, but also that many individuals do not change identity, especially ethnic identity. Researchers have found rank-order stability of personal identity to be larger in adulthood than in adolescence and stability of ethnic identity to be larger in middle and late than early adolescence. Personal identity appears to progress in adulthood, as well. Adolescents with a mature identity typically show high levels of adjustment and a positive personality profile, live in warm families, and perform well at school. There is little evidence for developmental order, however, and studies instead have mainly found covariation over time between identity and the other developmental processes. The present review demonstrates that the dimensional approach to the study of identity formation can be very successful. It allows for combined variable and person-centered analyses, and for empirically generated and replicable statuses. Theoretically, the review suggests that identity formation is a less dynamic process than commonly assumed, that the identity status continuum has the order diffusion (D)→moratorium (M)→foreclosure (F)→achievement (A), that adolescents may follow two distinct sets of identity transitions on this continuum: D→F (or EC: early closure, an alternative label for foreclosure)→A or D→M→C (closure, a subtype of early closure)→A, that present identity status research offers multiple ways to study continuity of identity, and that there is no empirical proof for the assumption that exploration precedes commitment in the process of identity formation. Additionally, narrative identity research became highly visible between 2000 and 2010. The studies into narrative identity have shown that continuity of identity and coherence of the life story both grow in adolescence. Suggestions for future research are outlined.

Wim Meeus

Papers

Social Support from Parents and Friends and Emotional Problems in Adolescence

Identity in adolescence: change or stability

Capturing the dynamics of identity formation in various ethnic groups: development and validation of a three-dimensional model.

The Study of Adolescent Identity Formation 2000–2010: A Review of Longitudinal Research

Patterns of adolescent identity development: Review of literature and longitudinal analysis.