Every experience and interaction has an effect on a person's development as an adult and shapes their personality and even the physical appearance they will take on as they mature. Those who have the strongest influence, namely family, religious figures, and others with whom one comes into frequent contact, will have the greatest effect on a developing being. It is between the stages of childhood and adulthood that the greatest changes occur. This position, called adolescence, is the state in which a person reaches adulthood but is not completely independent; It is in this state that psychologist Erik Erikson's theory of the adolescent becomes prominent. “Erikson was an ego psychologist. He emphasized the role of culture and society and the conflicts that can occur within the ego itself.” (McLeod) It is Erikson's theory that has led to the thought of an identity crisis occurring at this stage of life. According to Erikson's thinking on identity diffusion there are four main components; intimacy, diffusion of time perspective, diffusion of industry and negative identity. Each of these factors can be found in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce as each of these factors is clearly depicted in the novel. The first component mentioned by Erikson is the notion of intimacy which is shown through the relationships that take place between the protagonists of the Artist and his sexual partners in his adolescence. In the novel the main character, Stephen, starts out as a young Catholic boy who is then sent to school and as his family begins to lose money, he has to be transferred to a less expressive school so that his father can continue to pay his tuition for his children. instruction. Stephen is increasingly embarrassed by his family situation and the… middle of paper… my identity, who I want to be and what my values ​​are. Works Cited Cherry, Kendra. “Intimacy versus Isolation.” From. Np, 2014. Web. 4 May 2014. . according to Jones, Cheryl. “Identity and Adolescents: How Adults Can Help.” NCIL. Np, nd Web. May 5, 2014. . fifthLuyckx, Koen, et al. “Time perspective and identity formation: Short-term longitudinal dynamics in college students.” Nd MS. Third McLeod, Saul. "Erik Erikson." Simply psychology. Np, 2008. Web. 4 May 2014. . firstSen, Suvarna. "ADOLESCENCE: A PERIOD OF STRESS AND TENSION." Mental Health Reviews. Np, nd Web. May 5, 2014. . Fourth