HBSE Concepts To A Music Video Analysis

Application of HBSE Concepts to a music video

The video I chose for this essay is by Britney Spears, the song is titled, ‘I’m not a girl, not yet a woman’ and was released in 2001. In this video, Britney Spears is highlighting the transition that many girls go through during adolescence. She is the only person featured in this video and she appears to be lonely and out of sync with the rest of the society. This goes hand in hand with the lyrics of the song. The title of the song explains how Spears feels that she is not a girl and is yet to become a woman. This makes it difficult for her to explain where she stands in terms of identity. In this perspective, this music video is a good example of identity vs. Role confusion as explored by Erick Erikson in his psychosocial theory of development.

The fifth stage is where most adolescents fall and is characterized by identity and role confusion. Between the ages of 12 and 18, an individual is usually trying to define who they are and the role they play in the world. This is a highly confusing time for most teenagers and it results in conflict with self and others. Earlier in this stage, a female might consider herself a girl, but as she edges towards her twenties, she begins to question whether she has reached womanhood. This is a critical phase in development and is the highlight of Britney Spears music video. Without proper guidance, girls in this stage are likely to fall into the wrong hands and start engaging in activities that could ruin their life. As one searches for their identity, they could find it in the wrong places or in right places. Adolescents who receive proper guidance at this stage often thrive after passing this