The Relationship Between Activity Of Student Associations And Ego Identity Status Of College Students

Based on the classical theory of ego identity raised by E.H.Erikson, the present study explored the relationship between the ego-identity status of the university students and activities of students associations. In this research, the assessing tools, consisting of 'Ego Identity Status Inventory'made by Azushi Kato and revised by Zhang-Risheng, a 'Self-Rating Individual Development Questionnaire'and a 'Self-Rating Motive Questionnaire', were employed in a investigation involving 70 student associations and 32 departments of Huazhong University of science and Technology. The relevant results are illustrated as following: In whole, like the opposite group, those who do participated student associations demonstrate an uneven distribution in identity status. The largest portion is the students on identity diffusion-moratorium status, which accounts for over 50 percent; the following are the students on identity moratorium status, and identity achievements-foreclosure status, while the students on identity achievement, foreclosure and identity diffusion status, each of group takes up less than 5 percent respectively. What's more, there is significant slight correlation between the students who take part in activity of students associations and those do not, in light of identity status. Two group students appear significant difference in self-assessing their individual development during university period. And the students from associations are slightly appraised higher achievements at university than their counterparts. Regarding activity motives, the students who participated in the associations, appeared slightly stronger achievement motivation and belonging motivation than those who did not. Also, there is significant correlation between the identities and the achievement motivation, belonging motivation, and affiliation-oriented motivation respectively on the whole. Within student associations, elites and the ordinary members appear significant difference on identity status according with their rank in those organizations. The research was conducted chiefly by questionnaire investigation; in addition,case study and interviewing methods were at the same time adopted during the whole research process.