People with an ambiguous identity and sense of self rely more on the opinions of others and authority figures than they trust themselves and their own feelings about what would be the right and more appropriate solution in a given situation. Sometimes lacking the courage not to consult someone else (e.g. a friend) even before making small decisions. The need to make big decisions in turn creates tension.

People with a vague identity and sense of self find it difficult to achieve their goals, and tend to give up at the first sign of difficulty. Often, a person is passionate about an idea, but is unable to see it through. Similarly, people with a vague identity and sense of self focus too much on setting socially desirable goals (e.g. buying a new car, being in a partnership, getting a sought-after education, working in a prestigious job, etc.) without aligning these goals with their personal value system. As a result, the goals achieved often do not provide the sense of fulfilment that the person wanted to experience.

People with a vague identity and sense of self find it difficult to focus on one thing for long. Interests change independently, fragmentation and chaotic thinking about self-actualisation are experienced. It is difficult to know where to focus one's attention in life and how to express oneself professionally in society.

People with a vague identity and sense of self find it difficult to build long-term relationships. These people are often happy to engage in short-term communication, but when the relationship becomes deeper (e.g. when situations arise where they have to experience intense feelings or reveal their own), they break off or gradually become alienated.

People with an ambiguous identity and sense of self lose their emotional equilibrium relatively easily in the face of sudden external shocks. Sometimes emotions can be so overwhelming that it becomes difficult to focus on everyday things (e.g. work responsibilities). So-called "emotional pits" are experienced.

People with an unclear identity and sense of self may avoid conflict or be overly aggressive in imposing their views on others. This usually leads to difficulties in relationships. It is relatively difficult to see oneself as an equal in a relationship. There is either a desire to dominate the other, as this creates a sense of control (and therefore security) in the situation, or there is a tendency to over-accommodate others. There may also be an inherent difficulty in saying 'no' to the other, even in situations where it is necessary to do so in order to protect one's personal boundaries (e.g. refusing to take on extra work responsibilities at the workplace to avoid burnout).

People with an unclear identity and sense of self often feel inferior. Other people's achievements can be perceived as superior, and there is a tendency to constantly compare oneself to someone else. Self-confidence can also manifest itself as anxiety at times when one has to express one's true thoughts out loud. Similarly, a lot of energy can be spent fantasising about what others will think. All of this leads to a lack of self-esteem and low self-worth.

Sometimes people with an ambiguous identity and sense of self feel anger to protest against external circumstances. The existing order is experienced as a restrictive system in which he is forced to live his life. This may be expressed as a tendency to question the system and a desire to escape from it, to break free from obligations and responsibilities that are experienced as oppressive.