62nd Annual Meeting

October 26 - 31, 2015

Media Theatre 12 (open)

Divergent: Individuation, Peer Pressure, and Societal Expectations

The task of individuation during adolescence is complicated. Not only must the adolescent consider the impact of their upbringing and family expectations during their attempt to separate and form their own identity, they are exposed to significant pressure from their peer group to conform. Complicating things further are society’s expectations and imposition of gender and cultural roles, requiring either integration or rejection of those values. The movie Divergent brings to life the dystopian world of 16-year-old Tris, illustrating the multiple issues that can arise from conflicting expectations. Discussion explores the impact of parental expectation, peer pressure, and societal expectation on an adolescent’s process of individuation, and the potential negative impact of unsuccessfully consolidating and resolving conflicts.