Which identity status is defined by exploration with commitment?

Which identity status is defined by exploration with commitment?

• A. Diffusion
• B. Foreclosure
• C. Moratorium
• D. Achievement

Answer: (D)

Exploration plus commitment leads to identity achievement. In this status, an adolescent actively explores various roles, values, and beliefs and then makes firm commitments to a chosen identity. That combination—testing possibilities and then settling on ones that feel right—defines achieving a stable sense of self. Other patterns fit different mixtures: foreclosed involves commitment without exploration, moratorium involves exploration without commitment, and diffusion lacks both exploration and commitment. So, when the prompt describes exploration with commitment, it points to identity achievement.

Exploration plus commitment leads to identity achievement. In this status, an adolescent actively explores various roles, values, and beliefs and then makes firm commitments to a chosen identity. That combination—testing possibilities and then settling on ones that feel right—defines achieving a stable sense of self. Other patterns fit different mixtures: foreclosed involves commitment without exploration, moratorium involves exploration without commitment, and diffusion lacks both exploration and commitment. So, when the prompt describes exploration with commitment, it points to identity achievement.