ASPECTS OF THE EGO IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT IN THE PROCESS OF FORMING OF THE MODERN OFFICER

This article presents the results of a study that investigates the way the cadets of the Land Forces Academy solved, during their professional forming period, the age specific development task - achieved identity versus diffusion of identity, with a direct impact on their commitment to the profession and military organization. Our study has as a central element J. Marcia's model regarding the formation of identity, a model derived from the theory of E. Erikson's psychosocial development and developed by Berzonsky, Adams, Kroger, Waterman, Taveira, Schwartz, etc.. There are many researches that validate this model that seems to be valid not only for the forming of identity of the adolescent, but also for the subsequent variations that occur during adulthood, in terms of individual commitments. However, studies made for the elaboration and validation of this model indicate that the ideally statuses proposed by Marcia should be reconceptualized. The utilized methodology involves the statistical analysis of the results obtained by applying five research tools to a population of 365 students: The Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status, Ego Identity Process Questionnaire, Identity Style Inventory, Organizational/Professional Commitment Questionnaire. Our results indicate an involution in the development of the overall identity of the investigated group and a positioning of more than half of the investigated population in an intermediate status - low profile moratorium - characterized by a low level of the exploration process correlated with a lack of clear commitments in the central areas of identity. Therefore we discuss the effects of this involution on the cadets' commitment to the profession and military organization. Most research on the identity of the modern military has focused on his social identity, with the associated roles and behaviors. Our study focuses on his personal identity, an aspect that has been very little studied and which is more important now that it has been recognized that the military profession is in a process of deep restructuring.