Psychology of Self Identity

Psychology in the Real World

What does the psychology of self identity mean?

A person’s concept of who they are and how they relate to the real world forms their “self
identity” and is expressed through their personality.

Over time a person's identity may change or evolve, and they may develop a stronger sense of
self.

Self Esteem and Awareness

- Self esteem: sense of self-worth, based on a person’s appraisal of their own thoughts,
beliefs, emotions, choices, behaviours and appearance; seen in psychology as a
personal trait, which means that it is stable and enduring
- Private self-awareness: a person’s thoughts, emotions, and feelings (which cannot be
seen), including the way they view themselves and others, how they would liek to be,
and their self-esteem
- Public self-awareness: linked to a person’s physical attributes, including their concept
of beauty, body language, physical abilities, public actions, and material possessions;
also how far a person chooses to conform to cultural and social norms related to public
self-expression

Erik Erikson’s Eight Stages of Development

Identity Formation

- Individuation (the formation of identity) starts in childhood and is tested in adolescence

as young people explore their sense of themselves and their role in the world, and
develops in adulthood
- E.g. Questions like “who am I” or “what makes me special” are part of the
development of personal identity
- As a baby, how your caregiver (mom or dad, grandparent, daycare provider) treats you,
answers these questions
- By the age of 3, children develop a view of their place in the world according to personal
attributes and abilities as well as factors such as age, gender, cultural/religious
background, interests, etc.
Stages of Identity Development

- Erikson argued that identity develops in 8 distinct stages, influenced by a person’s

interactions with the environment
- During each stage, some form of psychosocial crisis (conflict) occurs
- Personal development (the achievement of a “virtue”) rests on how this conflict is
resolved