Identity notes

Notes from reading:

Identity is used by different fields of study: social psychology, developmental psychology, philosophy of language, but not yet a consensus…

Difference between self and identity – self control, self-esteem, less related to identity but evaluation of self. Identity composed of biological, psychological, socio-demographic positions. Are these overlapping or distinct? Self defined “I am…” or introspectivly “Who am I?”

Individual – self definition, at the level of the person: goals, values, belief, standards of behaviour.

Relational – to others: mother, child, but how this is interpreted by the person themself.

Collective – peoples identification within groups, social categories.. family, ethnicity.

Are these separate components of one identity or multiple identities? (skin colour: biological, or is it society status makes it social identity – any aspect can be viewed as each process). Can you transform social/cultural identity? and is this deliberate or not noticed. Characteristics become part of identity only as people assimulate and use to define “Who am I.”

Divisions in the field.

– personal, relational or collective phenomenon

– stable or fluid, constantly changing

– is it discovered, personally constructed, socially constructed

– researched, quantitive, qualitative

William James  – idenitiy not only their minds, bodys, friends but also clothes, car etc. A material identity! Virtue signaling? Social media identity???

What about people who are deluded about themselves, personality disorders…. ? The “I would like to be…?” but not borne up with evidence. How we frame something? Cognitive dissonance?

My identiTy

This was a totally interesting exercise. I have always had a problem with the “Who are you?” question. Firstly, where to start, secondly, that it depends on the audience on what information I wish to impart and, lastly my rejection of most collective narratives, and not quite fitting into them or even wanting to. eg: I am a solo parent, but I can’t really join in on solo parenthood discussions as I made an active choice to be a solo parent. I have a child, yet I could never be a first-time mother as I had been a nanny for several babies. These things do not bother me at all, but they are labels I would be given.

I liked living overseas as I was foreigner and I could be whatever, no explanations. I grew up in a family that lived outside the dominant paradigm. My mother stood for election, for the Values party, when I was a child. My father is an alternative thinker, and we were brought up to be critical, rational scientific thinkers. My parents do not value: money, stuff, or status.  I remember going to an anti Springbok Tour and my Mum being shouted at. I was so proud of her. Both my parents were teachers (though Dad taught adults), and both did more study in my childhood.

I used to help my mother out in her class (3 teacher schools so large range of ages). She was awesome. I also went to the school she taught at for a couple of years. There was a Wendy house in her classroom. I rejected the idea of being a teacher as I knew how much work it is when you care and do it well, and I knew the effect of a bad principal. But I just get on with kids and I create educational environments without even thinking about it. My dream job would have been a governess. I like hanging out with kids, I get my energy from watching them doing stuff, learning random stuff, and talking to them about their ideas.

At Teachers College, one of my observing lecturers said I had a problem with my role as a Teacher. This stuck out for me as I feel that I do define the role differently. I think school, the rituals and the content, ‘what we teach’, is totally made up, so can I even include in my identity the collective idea of teacher when my understanding is possibly different to yours?..

I can say that an important part of my identity is that I am keen learner, not necessarily of what I am being ‘taught’, but I read, do nightclasses, try and find experts in things I have an interest in…