Open AccessThe Notion of Identity
Author(s) -
Željka Babić
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
politikon
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1583-3984
pISSN - 2414-6633
DOI - 10.22151/politikon.12.11
Subject(s) - identity (music) , erikson's stages of psychosocial development , identity formation , social identity approach , epistemology , social identity theory , sociology , social psychology , identification (biology) , psychology , psychoanalysis , self concept , aesthetics , social group , philosophy , botany , biology
According to psychologist Erik Erikson, identity means, “a system of self-definitions of the social actor”. This modern sense of identity denotes not only “sameness”, but also an image according to which one associates and projects oneself. Michael Wintle said that the most important feature of identity is its multiple nature. It is possible to have a single identity but it will always be made up of several separate identifications, some of which might be contradictory. Some are stronger than the others and the pattern can change over time. People are often influenced by multiple identities that apply based on circumstances such as national, racial, social and language identities.