definition of self and identity

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Hi, I would like to get a definition of the concepts of self and identity, as I had an argument with someone, as I cosider them different concepts. thanks

-- ildiko szocs (ildiko20@yahoo.com), May 28, 2003

Answers

I'd look in a dictionary of psychology if I were you. The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology says under "self":

"One of the more dominant aspects of human experience is the compelling sense of one's unique existence, what philosophers have traditionally called the issue of personal identity or of the self."

It goes on. Not very satisfying IMHO.

Under "Identity" is says:

"In the study of personality, a person's essential continuous self, the internal subjective concept of oneself as an indivdual."

It, too, goes on.

I don't think you'll settle disputes like this, however, with dictionary definitions. You settle them by naming the things which distinguish the two concepts, and then getting the people you're discussing them with to agree that you have made an important distinction. Whether the distinct concepts are called "self" and "indentity" or called "flug" and "blix" doesn't really matter a whit.

-- Christopher Green (christo@yorku.ca), May 28, 2003.


You also want to look at the meanings the words have in different theories. Self has one set of meanings in personalist philosophy and philosophial theology, another set in personality psychology (work such as Allport's), and somewhat different meanings in Kohut and the school called "Self psychology." Identity has specific meanings in Erikson's work, and perhaps a different meaning when used in "dissociative identity disorder." So you might find it helpful to work your way through some personality texts just to say in how many ways the terms are used--you'll find that "identity" is used much more by developmental psychologists than by personality psychologists, and whereas one might speak about a "gender identity disorder" one isn't likely to use the term "self" in that context. So, the debate could be a fruitful one as you explore the ansers.

-- Hendrika Vande Kemp (hendrika@earthlink.net), May 29, 2003.

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