when their perceptions, attitudes, and outlook on themselves and the world will be formed, i.e. a time when their identity will develop or suffer from the lack of it:
Adolescents are at particular risk for developing inaccurate self-concepts, which in turn may lead to a variety of maladaptive behaviors. For example, overestimations of one’s ability may lead on the one hand to the zealous choice of challenges that are doomed to failure, or, on the other hand, to the avoidance of challenges in order to protect a fragile and unrealistic sense of competence. Those who devalue their abilities are also prone to avoid challenges, and to develop emotional reactions, such as anxiety or depression, that may further interfere with their functioning.
In the black community, we can see two examples of Harter’s concepts above. On the one hand, many black youth are zealous in their choice of becoming a professional athlete, which, for many, is a choice doomed to failure. However, it is overestimated in its
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