Personal identity is an understanding of who you are as a person before you step into the role you play in society. Social identity is made up of the labels projected onto a person based on how society views someone's personal identity. People's personal identity can be shaped in many different ways. Culture, simply explained, is learned behavior and norms we apply to the situations that we are presented. We live in a society, as wild as it is.
We live in groups, we define ourselves through them, and hence, at least in some aspects, we belong to them. We do this to build social connections, which allow people to feel accepted by the general population. It is a human need to feel accepted by other people, so it is only natural for a person to gravitate to a group that is made of members that reflect their own characteristics.
While culture is large and vast, memories are personal and very connected to what we do and say. Memories impact our identity by teaching us how to interact with the world around us.
An obvious example of this concept is evident in childhood. When you were a kid, if you did something wrong, you got punished. Other aspects of identity, such as racial, religious, ethnic, occupational… etc. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home Essay How do personal experiences shape identity? Ben Davis May 8, How do personal experiences shape identity? In what ways is your identity shaped by who you are as an individual?
Do our experiences and society shape our identity over time? However, how our environment reacts to features like our skin color , heritage or cultural customs can either strengthen or weaken our sense of pride in that aspect of our identity. The attitudes and behaviors directed at us influence the way we respond, specifically in the way we express or repress this aspect of our identity. Location and opportunities are perhaps two of the most variable influences on our identities.
The country we're born in, the town we live in and the community we're part of impact our sense of self. The current government, economy and even the time in which we live impacts how we see ourselves and the world.
The geography and cultures of our town influence our productivity, creativity and happiness. Our contentment with our identity has a lot to do with the opportunities our location affords us. If we feel isolated, out of place or unaccepted in the collective identity , we may come into conflict with our personal identity. Research has found that different variables within our physical surroundings can change the way we perceive our lives. While it might not change our personality, it can reinforce our existing thoughts about our identity.
Like society, the media influences how we should — and consequently, how we do — see ourselves. Media has an immediate impact on our perceived reality. Consciously and subconsciously, we receive messages through advertising, television shows, movies, games and music that reinforces or conflicts with our beliefs about life and whether or not we should be content with who we are.
These false depictions of reality can harm our self-perception. The internet provides a wealth of information and communication that we can use as a guide for social comparison and to find others who share our collective identity.
However, too much information and exposure can make us question aspects of our identity. Exposure to media in any form is just as influential in shaping our identity as our family, friends and society. As a social concept, the advances in internet technology help transform our identities in new ways. Social media specifically gives us a platform to showcase our physical identity and create a virtual identity. This virtual identity can embody elements of our true identity and allow us to withhold certain aspects of ourselves that we may not embrace confidently.
We also have the choice to create an entirely different identity as a way to further explore ourselves or cope with our real identity. Our hobbies and personal interests are also essential elements of our identity. When we first get to know someone else, a common conversational thread concerns their interests. Their favorite movies and bands, how they relax or have fun and what activities they like and dislike give us information on which we base our initial opinions.
The intangibles, such as their hopes, dreams and favorite memories, can also shed light on how they seem to perceive themselves. Our careers are also strongly tied to our identities. While our perception of ourselves can enhance or limit our potential as employees, the role that we hold can influence our personal identity.
Job insecurity can strain our sense of self, while success in our role can reinforce our identity. However, those who hold several positions in different industries may find that their multiple career identities challenge their sense of singular personal identity. How we look and present ourselves to the world says a lot about who we are. It can also impact how others perceive and treat us, which in turn shapes identity formation.
Our physical identity is not superficial — it's actually an aspect of ourselves we tie to our sense of identity. Our appearance and way we express ourselves are how we choose to represent this identity visually. We may choose to project our culture, personal interests or status through our appearance. Allowing our appearance and self-expression to influence a majority of our identity formation is not healthy.
Sadly, society projects false realities to skew our perception of what constitutes the ideal appearance. Though it is healthy for us to be comfortable and confident in the way we present ourselves to society, being overly critical of our appearance is unhealthy.
If we believe that society's depiction of approved and unapproved likenesses is accurate, those who do not meet the standards may experience discontentment with their sense of self. Past experiences can also contribute to our identity formation. Developmental trauma experienced in childhood shapes who we are as adults, with earlier instances of distress leading to more profound levels of negatively impacted identity formation.
Thankfully, we can work through our "traumatic self" brought on by childhood events to create a healthy adult identity. Our positive life experiences also shape our identities. Overcoming difficult times through adolescence or adulthood can help us build resiliency in our sense of selves.
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