Identity (social science)

For other uses of "Identity", see Identity (disambiguation).
Part of a series on
The Self
Constructs
Theories
Processes
Value judgment
As applied to activities
Interpersonal
Social
Politics

Identity is the set of qualities, beliefs, personality traits, appearance, and/or expressions that characterize a person or a group.[1][2][3][4]

Identity emerges during childhood as children start to comprehend their self-concept, and it remains a consistent aspect throughout different stages of life. Identity is shaped by social and cultural factors and how others perceive and acknowledge one's characteristics.[5] The etymology of the term "identity" from the Latin noun identitas emphasizes an individual's mental image of themselves and their "sameness with others".[6] Identity encompasses various aspects such as occupational, religious, national, ethnic or racial, gender, educational, generational, and political identities, among others.

Identity serves multiple functions, acting as a "self-regulatory structure" that provides meaning, direction, and a sense of self-control. It fosters internal harmony and serves as a behavioral compass, enabling individuals to orient themselves towards the future and establish long-term goals.[7] As an active process, it profoundly influences an individual's capacity to adapt to life events and achieve a state of well-being.[8][9] However, identity originates from traits or attributes that individuals may have little or no control over, such as their family background or ethnicity.[10]

In sociology, emphasis is placed by sociologists on collective identity, in which an individual's identity is strongly associated with role-behavior or the collection of group memberships that define them.[11] According to Peter Burke, "Identities tell us who we are and they announce to others who we are."[11] Identities subsequently guide behavior, leading "fathers" to behave like "fathers" and "nurses" to act like "nurses".[11]

In psychology, the term "identity" is most commonly used to describe personal identity, or the distinctive qualities or traits that make an individual unique.[12][13] Identities are strongly associated with self-concept, self-image (one's mental model of oneself), self-esteem, and individuality.[14][page needed][15] Individuals' identities are situated, but also contextual, situationally adaptive and changing. Despite their fluid character, identities often feel as if they are stable ubiquitous categories defining an individual, because of their grounding in the sense of personal identity (the sense of being a continuous and persistent self).[16]

  1. ^ Compare Collins Dictionary of Sociology, quoted in Covington, Peter (2008). "Culture and Identity". Success in Sociology. Dublin: Folens Limited. p. 12. ISBN 9781850082606. Retrieved 12 November 2020. Jary and Jary (1991) define identity as 'a sense of self that develops as the child differentiates from parents and the family, and takes a place in society.'
  2. ^ Schwartz, Seth J.; Luyckx, Koen; Vignoles, Vivian L., eds. (2011). Handbook of Identity Theory and Research. New York, NY: Springer New York. doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-7988-9. ISBN 978-1-4419-7987-2.
  3. ^ Herman, William E. (2011). "Identity Formation". Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development. Boston, MA: Springer US. pp. 779–781. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_1443. ISBN 978-0-387-77579-1. Identity formation has to do with the complex manner in which human beings establish a unique view of self and is characterized by continuity and inner unity. It is therefore highly related to terms such as the self, self-concept, values, and personality development.
  4. ^ Franco-Zamudio, Jamie; Dorton, Harold (2014). "Collective Identity". Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology. New York, NY: Springer New York. pp. 256–259. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-5583-7_381. ISBN 978-1-4614-5582-0. Identity offers a way of thinking about the links between the personal and the social, that is, how the psychological and social aspects of the self are tied together to create a self-concept (Woodward, 2002)
  5. ^ Schmeck, Klaus; Schlüter-Müller, Susanne; Foelsch, Pamela A; Doering, Stephan (2013). "The role of identity in the DSM-5 classification of personality disorders". Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health. 7 (1): 27. doi:10.1186/1753-2000-7-27. ISSN 1753-2000. PMC 3848950. PMID 23902698.
  6. ^ "The term identity comes from the Latin noun Definition". Law Insider. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  7. ^ Schwartz, Seth J.; Montgomery, Marilyn J.; Briones, Ervin (2006). "The Role of Identity in Acculturation among Immigrant People: Theoretical Propositions, Empirical Questions, and Applied Recommendations". Human Development. 49 (1): 1–30. doi:10.1159/000090300. ISSN 0018-716X. S2CID 21526047.
  8. ^ Laliberte-Rudman, Debbie (April 2002). "Linking Occupation and Identity: Lessons Learned Through Qualitative Exploration". Journal of Occupational Science. 9 (1): 12–19. doi:10.1080/14427591.2002.9686489. ISSN 1442-7591. S2CID 148500712.
  9. ^ Unruh, Anita M. (December 2004). "Reflections on: "So... what do you do?" Occupation and the construction of identity". Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy. 71 (5): 290–295. doi:10.1177/000841740407100508. ISSN 0008-4174. PMID 15633879. S2CID 6673017.
  10. ^ "Identity: Definition, Types, & Examples". The Berkeley Well-Being Institute. Retrieved 2023-06-21.
  11. ^ a b c Burke, Peter (2020), Kivisto, Peter (ed.), "Identity", The Cambridge Handbook of Social Theory: Volume 2: Contemporary Theories and Issues, vol. 2, Cambridge University Press, pp. 63–78, doi:10.1017/9781316677452.005, ISBN 978-1-107-16269-3, S2CID 242711319, Within identity theory, an identity is a set of meanings defining who one is in a role (e.g., father, plumber, student), in a group or social category (e.g., member of a church or voluntary association, an American, a female), or a unique individual (e.g., a highly moral person, an assertive person, an outgoing person)
  12. ^ Cheek, Jonathan M. (1989), Buss, David M.; Cantor, Nancy (eds.), "Identity Orientations and Self-Interpretation", Personality Psychology: Recent Trends and Emerging Directions, New York, NY: Springer US, pp. 275–285, doi:10.1007/978-1-4684-0634-4_21, ISBN 978-1-4684-0634-4, retrieved 2022-02-22. "Identity is the construct that defines who or what a particular person is."
  13. ^ "Identity". dictionary.apa.org. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  14. ^ Weinreich, Peter (1986). "14: The operationalisation of identity theory in racial and ethnic relations". In Rex, John; Mason, David (eds.). Theories of Race and Ethnic Relations. Comparative Ethnic and Race Relations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (published 1988). pp. 299ff. ISBN 9780521369398. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  15. ^ Leary & Tangney 2003, p. 3
  16. ^ Kurzwelly, J (2019). "Being German, Paraguayan and Germanino: Exploring the Relation Between Social and Personal Identity". Identity. 19 (2): 144–156. doi:10.1080/15283488.2019.1604348. S2CID 155119912.