Identity and sense of self: how do they differ?

Concepts in psychology Identity (identity) and Sense of "I" (sense of self) are used in very specific ways. They denote different facets of the inner human nature.

Identity and sense of self are perceived psyche structures or this, as a person Received at itself.

To understand! For example, the human personality is a real structure of the psyche. It has objective characteristics - qualities of character, externally observable, measurable traits that do not change depending on what a person thinks of him/herself. For example, a person is more introverted or extroverted, regardless of how he wants to perceive himself.

Identity and sense of self can change depending on the perspective with which they are viewed. Their existence requires the presence of consciousness (McAdams et al., 2021).

What is identity?

Identity is the social "face" of a person. It describes how a person perceives how others perceive him (Hammell, 2006).

A sense of identity determines, for example:

• the statuses, professions, social groups, cultures, genders, etc. with which people identify;
• the extent to which the person has taken on clear, internally consistent goals and a direction that is consistent with the social environment;
• what societal values and beliefs a person has adopted as their own;
• the roles and standards in life to which a person is committed (Schwartz, 2011).

Identity drives personality in the social environment, in interactions. A clear sense of identity helps people to adapt to the outside world and to fulfil themselves in it (McAdams et al., 2021).

What is the sense of "I"?

Sense of "I" represents a person's understanding of "who and what I am". It describes how a person perceives himself (Hammell, 2006).

The sense of "I" determines, for example:

• a person's perceptions of his or her competence, skills, knowledge, intelligence, qualities;
• how much a person relies on their own strength;
• how much a person values him/herself, how adequate is his/her self-esteem, view of his/her potential, self-efficacy.

With a clear sense of self, most people describe themselves positively, consistently and feel confident. A clear sense of self is mentioned in literature as a key element for self-esteem (self-esteem) (Schwartz, 2011).

Why is it worth paying attention to stabilising your identity and sense of self?

The sense of identity and the sense of self is very much linked to one's perception of one's individuality, and how confident and comfortable you feel in your life.

If identity or sense of self (or both) are disturbed, incomplete, dysfunctional, the person is unable to maintain a coherent sense of self, which hinders his ability to fully realise himself in the world (Hammell, 2006).

The good news! Although identity and a sense of self develop as a result of social interaction, it is not the case that society alone creates a person's sense of self - each person is an active participant in the creation of their own personal story (Hammell, 2006).

How to create your personal story consciously, join "A course to stabilise identity and sense of self".
In it, I give practical tools for balancing identities and the sense of self.
The course programme includes four online group meetings (1.5 h each, recordings available afterwards). In addition to the classes, I am available for questions in the group chat.
Find out the next dates for the programme, by following this link!

This free content is produced in my spare time without pay. If you see value in what I do, I'd be happy to make you a coffee! It's like a spur to create new content! 🙂