Concepts like "self" and "identity" seem simple and easy to understand, but stop and try to give them an explanation in a few words. Chances are you stumbled somewhat: Is the self the identity? Or is identity itself? Or neither is the other?

So what do we mean by "ourselves"?

A psychological dictionary describes it as: The totality of the individual, composed of all the characteristic attributes, conscious and unconscious, mental and physical.

The notion of "self" refers to a person's experience as a single, autonomous being, separated from others, a notion continuously experienced in time and place. "Self-experience" includes awareness of one's "inner" and "outer" / physique as well as emotional life.

What about: Identity?

By identity we mean the qualities, beliefs, appearance and / or habits that make a person who he is - Here we are dealing with "self-identity", ie the identity of oneself. This is because there is also what social psychologists call "collective identity", ie collective identity.

So here is a basic difference between "self" and "identity" - There is a "collective identity", but a term like "collective self" [?] Would be meaningless.

In cognitive psychology, the term "identity" refers to the ability to self-reflect and self-awareness. Identity has two important characteristics: continuity and contrast. Continuity means that people find in you today, the same person that left yesterday. ”Of course, people change, but many important aspects of social identity remain relatively stable, such as gender, surname, language, and ethnicity.

Basically, how does "self" differ from "identity"?

In general, "identity" is used to refer to one's social "face" - how one perceives and how one is perceived by others. "The self" better answers the questions "who I am and what I am". The term "self" - includes both the actor who thinks (I am thinking) and the object of thinking (for me). This actor is able to think and aware that he is thinking. "Self" is considered our self, but also a cognitive ability of the idea we have about ourselves.

The development of self and identity is first and foremost a complex, multifaceted process that combines conscious and unconscious elements. To "know yourself" in adulthood (ie, not adolescence) means to do three things:

1. Understand and perceive your roles and traits in society.

2. Ideally pursue your goals and plans.

3. Properly integrate the past as you experience the present, in the hope that the future will be as you visualize it.

At certain stages of life, the question of "self" and "identity" may appear to everyone as a fog. It is human to feel lost on the path to finding yourself, but remember it is simply part of the process. It is enough to maintain a positive mentality and why not, trust a psychologist!

Source: American Psychology Association, Dictionary of Psychology, Handbook of Self and Identity