According to James Marcia, which are the four identity statuses adolescents can experience?

• A. Identity diffusion, identity confusion, exploration, commitment
• B. Diffusion, Foreclosure, Moratorium, Achievement
• C. Foreclosure, diffusion, achievement, integration
• D. Moratorium, diffusion, experimentation, certainty

Answer: (B)

James Marcia’s model looks at how adolescents balance exploring what they want to believe and value (exploration) with committing to specific beliefs or roles (commitment). The four statuses emerge from those two dimensions: diffusion (no exploration, no commitment), foreclosure (commitment without exploration), moratorium (exploration without commitment), and achievement (both exploration and commitment). So the set of four identities is Diffusion, Foreclosure, Moratorium, and Achievement. Other option lists use terms that aren’t part of Marcia’s statuses, like labeling exploration as its own status or using terms such as integration or certainty, which don’t fit the model.