C . Socio-cultural Contexts It has been stated that physical changes in the body and the changing social expectations are the two main aspects that influence the process of identity formation during the period of adolescence. But to what extent these physical and social changes impact the process of identity formation varies with cultural, social and familial contexts. In this section, let us first see how cultural and social contexts influence adolescent development and then we will read about the influence of the family.
Different sections of the society may respond differently to the physical changes during adolescence. In traditional Indian society, the onset of puberty places many restrictions on the girls while the boys retain their freedom of movement. Certain avenues of entertainment or work are not seen as appropriate for girls. The elements of the self and the identity of a girl from a traditional community would be very different from that of a girl living in urban areas.
Let us now compare our culture with Western cultures. In most Western cultures (such as the U.S. and U.K.) adolescents are expected to be fairly independent — in many cases they are expected to move away from the family to set up their own home. In the Indian context, a large majority of adolescents continue to be fairly dependent on parents as they are expected to be, and the family continues to exercise control over them.
While many adolescents in India, especially in rural and tribal settings, begin to contribute towards the family income, and in this sense begin to assume adult roles, yet they do not break away from the family. Instead their efforts at earning are often aimed at the welfare of family members. The development of the self of an adolescent in these two cultural settings would be quite different. Even within India, the experiences of adolescents would be quite different in different communities.
In traditional communities and regions where technology is not yet advanced and where occupational opportunity and choices for alternative lifestyles are limited, children are trained in the traditional family occupations,