Our identity - who we think we are and how we fit into society - isn't something we're born with. Instead, we learn it through a process called socialisation as we interact with others and society around us.
Key Definitions:
The family is usually our first and most powerful socialising agent. Parents and caregivers teach us:
For example, research shows that by age 3, most children can identify themselves as a boy or girl and begin to adopt behaviours they associate with their gender.
Schools teach more than just academic subjects - they're powerful shapers of identity through:
School uniforms, house systems and sports teams all create a sense of belonging and group identity.
As we grow older, our friends and the media become increasingly important in shaping who we are and how we behave.
Friends and peer groups become especially important during adolescence when young people are establishing independence from parents. Peers influence:
The desire to 'fit in' with peers can be a powerful motivator for behaviour, sometimes leading to peer pressure.
Traditional and social media provide models for identity through:
Studies show teenagers spend an average of 7+ hours daily consuming media, making it a significant influence on identity development.
Research by the Royal Society for Public Health found that Instagram has the most negative impact on young people's body image and identity. Users often compare themselves to heavily filtered or edited images, creating unrealistic standards. However, platforms like YouTube were found to have positive effects by creating communities around shared interests and providing educational content. This shows how media can both positively and negatively influence identity formation.
The way we understand ourselves affects how we behave in different situations. Several key concepts help explain this relationship:
We play different social roles (student, friend, daughter, employee) that come with expectations for how we should behave. These roles become part of our identity and guide our actions in different contexts.
Charles Cooley's theory suggests we develop our self-concept based on how we think others see us. We imagine how we appear to others, interpret their reactions and develop feelings about ourselves accordingly.
Albert Bandura proposed that we learn behaviours by observing and imitating others, especially those we admire or who are rewarded for their actions.
Our sense of who we are is strongly tied to the groups we belong to, whether these are based on ethnicity, religion, gender, social class, or shared interests.
Developed by Henri Tajfel and John Turner, this theory explains how group membership affects our behaviour:
This helps explain everything from football rivalries to national pride to more serious forms of discrimination and prejudice.
Our identity has multiple layers:
Both aspects work together to form our complete sense of self. For example, a teenager might see herself as creative and funny (personal identity) while also identifying as a student, a Muslim and a football player (social identities).
Our identities influence our behaviour in several ways:
For instance, someone who identifies strongly as an environmentalist is more likely to recycle, reduce waste and make sustainable choices.
In 1954, psychologist Muzafer Sherif conducted an experiment at a boys' summer camp. He divided 22 boys into two groups that developed strong group identities. When the groups competed for resources, they quickly developed hostility toward each other. However, when faced with problems that required cooperation (like fixing the camp's water supply), the boys overcame their differences and worked together. This classic study demonstrates how quickly group identities form and influence behaviour, but also how shared goals can bridge group divisions.
The broader culture and society we live in provide the context for our identity development:
Our identities are not fixed at birth but develop through complex interactions with family, peers, education, media and broader society. The way we understand ourselves - both as unique individuals and as members of various social groups - profoundly influences how we behave, the choices we make and how we relate to others.
Understanding these processes helps us recognise the social forces that shape who we are, giving us more awareness of our own identity development and potentially more control over it. It also helps us appreciate the diverse ways that others form and express their identities in our complex social world.
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