MeaningMakingandtheCollegiateExperience

SevenVectorsIden.fied� DevelopingCompetence� ManagingEmotions� MovingthroughAutonomytowardInterdependence� DevelopingMatureInterpersonalRelationships� EstablishingIdentity� DevelopingPurpose� DevelopingIntegrity

DevelopingCompetence� ThreetypesofCompetence

�  IntellectualCompetence�  PhysicalandManualCompetence�  InterpersonalCompetence

IntellectualCompetence�  Specifically,intellectualcompetenceistheskillofusingone’smind—studentcanmoreeasilymastercontent,gainintellectualsophistication,andbuildskillsthathelpincomprehensionandanalyzing.Chickeringnotesthatcollegesanduniversitieswhoutilizehistheoryintheirownprogramsshouldconsiderthatintellectualcompetenceisnotsimplypassingtestsortheabilitytomemorizefacts.

PhysicalandManualCompetence� Physicalandmanualcompetencearedevelopedandgeneratedthroughathletic,artistic,andothertangibleactivities.Growthcanbeobservedinstrength,fitness,andself-discipline.Theemotionofcompetitionandpursuitofapprovalandcriticismbecomeapartofthestudents’identityastheseactivitiesare“anavocationaroundwhichmuchoflifeisorganized.

InterpersonalCompetence�  Finally,interpersonalcompetenceischaracterizedbystudents’skillsingroupworkandsettings.Developmentcanbeseenintheirabilitytolisten,cooperate,andcommunicate,aswellas“worksmoothlywithagroup,facilitateother’scommunication,addtotheoveralldirectionoftheconversationratherthangooffontangents,andbesensitiveandempatheticwithothers.”

ManagingEmo.ons�  Inthisvector,studentsbecomemoreawareoftheiremotions.Awarenessofemotions“increaseswhenstudentslearntoidentifyandacceptfeelingsasnormalreactionstolifeexperience[and]whentheycanunderstandandamendoutdatedassumptionsthatamplifynegativefeelings”

ManagingEmo.ons,con’t.� Themostimportantaspectofthisvectorandthestudents’movementthroughdevelopmentistheirabilitytorespondappropriatelytotheemotionsthatmayfacethem.Emotionslikefear,anxiety,angerleadingtowardaggression,depression,guilt,shame,care,optimism,andinspirationareallemotionsthatcanbecommonincollegestudents’experiencesanddevelopmentthroughtheircollegeyears.

MovingthroughAutonomytowardInterdependence� Collegestudents’movementthroughautonomytowardinterdependenceconsistsof:�  emotionalandinstrumentalindependence�  recognitionandacceptanceofinterdependence

Emo.onalandInstrumentalindependence� Emotionalindependenceischaracterizedbyamovementawayfromreassurance,affection,andapprovalfromparents,peers,andothersocialgroups.Studentsinthisvectorarewillingto“risklossoffriendsorstatusinordertopursuestronginterestsorstandonconvictions”.

�  Instrumentalindependenceincludesanincreasedabilitytobeself-sufficientandtoleaveoneplaceandbesuccessfulinanother.Studentsbecomeimprovedcriticalthinkersandarebetteratputtingthesethoughtsintoaction.

Recognition and Acceptance of Interdependence

� Recognitionandacceptanceofinterdependenceoccurswhenstudents“learnlessonsaboutreciprocity,compromise,[and]sacrifice.”

� Here,“theneedtobeindependentandthelongingforinclusionbecomebetterbalanced[and]hardlessonsbringtheacceptanceofthosethingsthatcannotbechanged”.

�  Selfsufficiencybecomesthemostimportantaspectandfeatureofthisvector.

DevelopingMatureInterpersonalRela.onships� maturerelationshipsarecharacterizedby“toleranceandappreciationofdifferencesandcapacityforintimacy”.Bothoftheseaspectsofrelationshipsrequirethestudenttoacceptindividualsforwhotheyare,appreciatedifferences,bridgegaps,andbeobjective.Aheightenedsenseofappreciationforcommunityandculturaldiversitycanalsobeobservedinthisvector.

�  Anincreasedsenseofintimacyinrelationshipsallowsstudentstomakelastingcommitmentsgroundedinhonestyandresponsiveness.Amovementawayfrom“toomuchdependenceortoomuchdominancetowardaninterdependencebetweenequals”becomesthenorminbothfriendlyandromanticrelationships.Deeperconnectionsdevelopbetweenindividualsinthisvector.

EstablishingIden.ty� The“EstablishingIdentity”vectorisdependentontheexperienceinthevectorsthatcomebeforeit—thecompetencies,emotions,confidenceinone’sindependence,andrelationshipsallfactorintoidentitydevelopment.

�  Simply,identitydevelopmentis“likeassemblingajigsawpuzzleorremodelingahouse”

EstablishingIden.ty,con’t.� ThereareseveralcharacteristicsofEstablishingIdentity,whichinclude:�  comfortwithbodyandappearance,�  comfortwithgenderandsexualorientation,�  senseofselfinsocial,historical,andculturalcontexts,�  clarificationofself-conceptthroughrolesandlife-style,�  senseofselfinresponsetofeedbackfromvaluedothers,

�  self-acceptanceandself-esteem,and�  personalstabilityandintegration

EstablishingIden.ty,con’t.� Otheraspectsofdevelopmentinvolvedinestablishingidentityinclude:�  anincreasedawarenessoffamilialandreligiousconnections,

�  aswellasasenseofhowoneisevaluatedbyothers,and�  establishingrolesathomeandatwork.

�  Students’maturationanddevelopmentthroughthisvector“leadstoaclarityandstability…forthiscoreselfascapable,familiar,worthwhile.”

DevelopingPurpose� Afterclarifyingaspectsofdevelopmentlikeidentity,studentsthenattempttodetermine“whotheywanttobe.”

� Althoughpurposecansometimesbeconfusedwithfindingagoodjoborbeingfinanciallysuccessfulaftercollege,developingpurposereally“entailsanincreasingabilitytobeintentional,toassessinterestsandoptions,toclarifygoals,topersistdespiteobstacles,andtomakeplans.”

DevelopingPurpose,con’t.�  Someoftheseplansinclude:

�  generatingvocationalplansandaspirations,personalinterests,and

�  interpersonalandfamilycommitments� —whilestillbeingfocusedonthebiggerpicture.�  Inthisvector,studentsdiscoverwhattheylovetodoandattempttofollowthroughonthosejobsandinterests,eveniftheydon’tpaythebills.

� Asthestudentcontinuestodevelopalongthecontinuum,life-styleandfamilyconsiderationsalsobecomeafactorindecisionsandgoalsetting.

DevelopingIntegrity�  Incollege,studentstendtoexperienceachangeintheirvaluesystemanddeveloptheirownsetofvaluesandinterests.

� Theymoveawayfromthedogmaticbeliefstheymayhavegrownupwith.

� Thisvectorconsistsofthreedifferentstages:�  humanizingvalues,�  personalizingvalues,and�  developingcongruence

HumanizingandPersonalizingValues� Humanizingvaluesincorporatesstudentsbalancing“self-interestswiththeinterestsof[their]fellowhumanbeings.”

� Personalizingthesevaluesinvolvesconfirmingcorevaluesandbeliefsthroughone’sexperiencewhilerespectingotheropinionsandpointsofview.

Developing Congruence � Developingcongruenceoccurswhenstudents’behaviorbecomesconsistentwiththevaluesandbeliefstheyhold(pp.51,237).

�  Inessence,“DevelopingIntegrity”surroundsstudents’recognitionthattheirvaluesandbeliefshaveimplicationsintheiractions.

ChickeringandReisser’s(1993)bookdetailingtheSevenVectorsofIden.tyDevelopmenthttp://edld579douglasopensource.tumblr.com/AccessedNovember13,2012TheRev.Dr.StevenVoytovich