“SELF”

Is there a single self, or does self

have multiple, independent
components?
One Self or Many Selves?
Understanding why we have a
multiplicity of self-states.

- Gregg Henriques Ph.D.

 “
Properly speaking, a man has as many
social selves as there are individuals
who recognize him and carry an image
of him in their head.

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‐ a basic common sense response and say that
there is a single self - we inhabit one body.

‐ But deeper reflection reveals that we are not

usually talking about the physical body when
we are talking about the self.
Human self consist of three
related, but also separable
domains

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1. Experiential self

- This is the ‘theater of consciousness’ and the first

person felt experience of being.

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2. Private self-consciousness system

- the “narrator” (or interpreter), because is the

portion of your being that verbally narrates what is
happening and why and tries to make sense of
what is going on.

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3. Public self or persona

- It refers to the public image that you attempt to

project others, which in turn interact with how other
people actually see you
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Multiple Personality Disorder and what
is now called Dissociative Identity
Disorder. MPD/DID

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 Conceiving the “self” as
patterns of behavior through
time.

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Situations matter.

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Our sense of self is shaped
deeply by others.

“Change the audience, and we change the self. ”

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The core self is organized by
motives and emotions—and
these fluctuate!

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We have evolved “subselves.”
The Rational Animal (2013), PT Blogger Doug Kenrick and Vladas
Griskevicius

1) self-protection/injury avoidance;
2) disease avoidance;
3) affiliation;
4) status seeking;
5) mate acquisition;
6) mate retention; and
7) kin care
The present versus future self.

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 In sum, there are many forces that
influence and shape our sense of self such
that in retrospect is it no surprise that we all
experience a multiplicity of self-states.

In fact, with so many forces, it is

almost a miracle that we have a sense of
continuity at all!
Why settle for oneself?
5 practical ways to find balance between being and
doing by Roger Evernden

1. Being aware of your different behaviors (introvert &

extrovert)
2. Look at personality profiles, the Enneagram even daily star
signs because they give you clues as to the type of personality
you have.
3. Make a clear distinction between being and doing
4. Name the selves (ex. Teaching self or Creative self)
5. Put yourself in situations where you can enable to nurture
those many selves
Insights…

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