McGrath 1 Melissa McGrath Ms.

Rand English 1103 H02 16 October 2013 Inquiry Project Proposal We see the world as we do because our brains have constructed specific lenses based off experiences that enable us to view events and people that exist outside of us in a certain way. We are internally influenced by a variety of external social factors. Our social construction of reality may be one of the most significant external factors in discovering who we are. The extent to which an individuals identity is influenced by external factors and the role that identity plays in ones life as one goes away to college merit further investigation. The formation and significance of our identities are worth questioning because we would be ignorant, lost, and mundane human beings who lacked opinions and viewpoints if we could not claim identities. Having an identity allows a person to accept and reject certain arguments. What information he decides to consider and what he decides to ignore speaks to how he identifies himself. The concept of identity formation is interesting because everyones process is unique since no two identities are the same. The same external factor may influence the imprint on ones self, but the impact is different. There are several factors that challenge a persons identity; identity formation may not always be an easy process because it can take some pressing situations for an individual to determine how much of the challenge he can endure. Nevertheless, whether the impact is positive or negative, the identity is shaped. One transition period in an individuals life is the

McGrath 2 time when he graduates from high school and pursues an education away from home; distance from family can bring about much of an impact on ones identity. Going to school away from home can be quite the undertaking. While many adolescents are accustomed to responsibility, independence, and structure, others feel overwhelmed and confused with the freedom. How does one continue to form his identity after he has gone away to school? Geographic location may not matter, but the lack of parental presence and decrease in structure can affect how the adolescent chooses to live. The choices that he makes are direct results of his current identity and provide insight into how he is forming his identity in the moment. Not being around ones family influences the continuation of the formation of ones identity in that he may forget his roots and turn to new sources of information and guidance. I have looked at several sociology-related articles online since the concepts of self and identity are compelling topics in the functionalist perspective, or the standpoint that we metaphorically act as parts of a machine so that society can run properly. I plan to look into the theories of noteworthy sociologists to see the historical backings to a socially constructed identity. The collection of data through the use of secondary sources will require time and thought. It may be helpful to interview college students and ask them about their experiences with moving away from home when they came to UNCC. If I were to conduct interviews, I worry about devising questions that are worded so that the responses are of use to my inquiry. It would be critical that I eliminate any bias and focus on the response of the participants. It would be ideal to get a comprehensive perspective on what the research and college students say about the changes they believe their identities underwent by coming to college and living away from home. It would be interesting to see what types of internal changes are the most prevalent when one goes away to school and how this newly affected identity shapes

McGrath 3 people. Why we do the things we do is a question that stems from the existence of our identities; we are made up of certain experiences and characteristics that make everybodys construction of reality different.