SELF IDENTITY

Self Identity



Self Identity

Introduction

Self identity is a combination of how people see themselves, and also their membership in certain group or society. The individual bases his own identity through the comparison with other individuals and groups. The society and the environment also have a vital role to play in the self identity of the individuals. The identity is the essence of the human beings and it has implications in every activity of the daily life. The concept of the self identity also consists of philosophical influences, as it deals with the most important question of every human life, which is: Who are we and what is our purpose of being? The essential answer to this question will be dependent on the self identity constructed by each individual. For better understanding this paper examines two significant theories of self-identity, namely psychosocial identity theory and Tajfel's social identity theory.

Discussion

Psychosocial Identity Theory

The theory proposed by Erik Erikson regarding the psychological development among the human beings is one of the most highly rated theories regarding personality in psychology. The theory has similarities with the Freudian school of thought as it states that the personality development in a person is not an inherent ability, rather it is through a gradual series of stages. The difference among both the theories however lays on the nature of factors that influence the personality development among individuals. Sigmund Freud was an adamant believer that the sexual impulse was the primary source of motivation for majority of the human activities, and through the comprehensive psychosexual stages, the human being's entire life revolved around this phenomenon. Erikson proposed that the social influences that the individual experiences throughout his life span mould the personal identity. The Ego Identity is one of the fundamental concepts of Erikson's theory, as he stated that this phenomenon was a direct result of the social interaction that an individual incurred in his environment. Ego identity can be defined as the human consciousness regarding the self and the environment, which is formed due to the social interactions. This identity is in a constant change of flux; as the new experiences in our daily lives enhance our social knowledge, and increase the level of awareness. As the person's level of awareness increases his mastery over the relevant stage of development also increases. This causes the ego strength to increase and the ego quality is enhanced. In the process ...