introduction to self and identity

Question 1

Key terms

Answer 1

Identity: who am I?
Self concept: what are my beliefs and perceptions of myself?
Self esteem: how do I like myself?
Self image: how do you behave?
Ideal self: who would you like to be?

Question 2

The self

Answer 2

Identity: who am I?
Self concept: what are my beliefs and perceptions of myself?
Self esteem: how do I like myself?
Self image: how do you behave?
Ideal self: who would you like to be?

Question 3

‘Reflexive Project’ - Charles Taylor, 1989

Answer 3

Humans continually manage, discipline, refine, improve or develop the self. As we work towards goals, we reflect back on ourselves and our behaviour before working on the next step of the ‘project’ of ourselves i.e. reflexive project

Question 4

Self Concept

Answer 4

The self-concept is a knowledge representation that contains knowledge about us, including our beliefs about our personality traits, physical characteristics, abilities, values, goals, and roles, as well as the knowledge that we exist as individuals.

Our self-concept develops over time, partly through our interactions with others.

As we get older our self-concept becomes more detailed and organised.

Question 5

Measuring self content

Answer 5

The Twenty Statements Test (TST) is an instrument used to measure self concept.
It was devised in 1954 by Manfred Kuhn & Thomas McPartland, with the aim of finding a standardised way to measure assumptions and self-attitudes.
The test takes the form of a survey, with respondents asked to give up to twenty responses to the prompts, “Who am I?” or “I am…”; it is not mandatory that respondents give twenty answers.

Question 6

TST Coding

Answer 6

A-mode responses are physical characteristics or attributes.
Examples: “I am short”; “I am strong”; “I am tired.”

B-mode responses describe socially defined relationships, roles and statuses usually associated with group membership of some sort.
Examples: “I am a college student”; “I am Anglican”; “I am a Canberran”; “I am a gamer”; “I am a daughter”;

C-mode responses reflect personal traits, styles of behaviour, or emotional states.
Examples: “I am a happy person”; “I am competitive”; “I am laid-back”; “I am a fashionable dresser.”

D-mode responses are more general than specific; they may express an abstract or existential quality:
Examples: “I am me”; “I am part of the universe”; “I am a human being ”; “I am alive.”

Reflection: which categories were most reflected in your test?

Question 7

Identity

Answer 7

‘Identity’ refers to the unique set of characteristics that can be used to identity a person as themself and no one else.
At a personal level, identity often refers to a person’s sense of self-identity, meaning how they view themselves compared to other people.
‘Identity’ refers to “how I think other people perceive me”

Question 8

Identity

Answer 8

Identity formation is the most significant during adolescence, but the process is ever changing.
Why might this be the case?
…Compare
Distinguishing others’ views from your own perceptions represents a developmental advance in adolescence.

Question 9

Personal and Social Identity

Answer 9

Personal Identity: the individual as a unique person in terms of their individual differences

Social Identity: a portion of an individual’s self-concept derived from perceived membership in a relevant social group
We change our identity presentation (behaviour) based on the social situation that we are in.
Think of two different groups that you are in. Do you act the same way in both contexts? Why/why not?