Psychological perspectives on the

question "Who am I?"

1.Self-Concept:

• Includes aspects such as:

-Personality traits
- Abilities
-Values
- Roles
- Social identities
2. Identity Formation:
• Individuals go through different stages of identity development; The resolution of identity
crises at each stage contributes to a coherent sense of self.
• emphasizes the role of social groups and categories in shaping individual identity.

• People derive part of their self-concept from their membership in various social groups.
For example:
-family
-culture
-ethnicity
- gender
3. Cognitive Perspectives:
• It influences how individuals process self-relevant information and interpret new experiences.
• emphasizes the importance of memory, perception and attention, language, decision-making and
problem-solving.

• Cognitive Dissonance: This theory suggests that individuals are motivated to maintain
consistency in their beliefs and behaviors. When there is a mismatch between self-
perception and actions, it can lead to cognitive dissonance, prompting a reassessment of
one's identity.
4. Existential and Humanistic Perspectives:
• Existentialism: Philosophical and psychological perspectives, such as existentialism, explore the
idea that individuals must confront the question of existence and create their own meaning. The
search for meaning is central to understanding one's identity.
• The humanistic perspective is a way of evaluating an individual as a whole, rather than looking at
them only through a smaller aspect of their person.

• The major difference is that humanism assumes people are basically good, whereas
existentialism assumes people are neither good nor bad. Both place a priority on the meaning
of life and purpose within life.
5. Social Comparison:
• This process can influence self-perception and identity.

• Social comparison is a theory that suggests people determine their own social and personal
worth based on how they stack up against others.
• This can lead to either upward social comparison, where individuals compare themselves to
those they perceive as better off, or downward social comparison, where individuals
compare themselves to those they perceive as worse off.
6. Narrative Identity:
• Narrative identity is the internalized and evolving story of the self that a person constructs to
make sense and meaning out of his or her life.

• Individuals construct a life story that provides coherence and meaning to their experiences
including : -experiences
-events
-relationships that have shaped us
7. Cultural Influences:
• Cultural identity plays a crucial role in shaping an individual's sense of self.

• Here are the factors: -Cultural norms and values

-societal expectations
-religion (culture affected by religion)
8. Personal Experiences and Trauma:
• Significant life events, including trauma, can have a profound impact on how individuals
perceive themselves.

• Traumatic experiences may challenge and reshape one's identity.

• Research has shown that traumatic experiences are associated with both behavioral health and
chronic physical health conditions, especially those traumatic events that occur during
childhood.
THANK YOU!!!