Humanity shares the need for a sense of identity.
Above is a collection of roles, definitions, groups I identify with. Some are certain, unequivocal roles and some are more subjective and judged by myself.
So why is there this need for identity? Why do we spend so much of our time answering quizzes to identify our personality type, our values, or what type of chocolate bar we would be?
Well, whilst sporting a suitable pair of tortoiseshell geeky glasses, I will share some information about the topic with you.
- First of all, identity is defined as:
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| Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs |
- Maslow's hierarchy of needs describes the pattern of motivations that humans generally move through. It begins with the basic human needs such as health, food and sleep and progresses to needs concerning the person and their sense of self. A sense of identity is integral to these upper three levels
- The formation of identity occurs from a young age. Young children typically cling to a single teddy bear or doll, through which they know their own identity (I am not my teddy). When this ‘transition object,’ as psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott called it, is removed, a part of their identity is lost, causing distress and tears. This pattern continues through our lives as we identify with our possessions and the things around us and feel bad when they are changed or lost.
- We are born into a world without understanding who we are and where we belong in the world. Striving for a sense of identity (whether individual or group identity) gives us a sense of who we are and what our purposes are
- Our sense of identity should be able to adapt as we learn new things and encounter new situations which challenge what we believe we associate ourselves with. Depression is often caused by losing this sense of identity, as people who suffer from depression have nothing to rely on to give them a sense of pride or a feeling of belonging
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