Psychology of Self

The psychology of self is a unique framework of analysis guiding our perception of who we are in relation to the world around us. This perspective is characterized by the four concepts of self: our view of ourselves as defined by other people’s public knowledge (public self), who we believe ourselves to be (self concept), self created by our actions and habits (habitual self) and the self we aspire to become (ideal self). Each concept is influential in steering our mindset, mood and behavior influencing both short and long term developmental outcomes.

During childhood development we define our sense of hope, will and purpose by our ability to establish trust, achieve independence, and take initiative towards our interests. During late adolescents and early adulthood, we aspire towards competence, fidelity and love, by exploring our role and identity, building confidence and experiencing intimacy in relationships. In middle and older adulthood, we seek to achieve wisdom and provide care through contributions to our family and community, while defining life’s meaning through reflecting on our journey.

According to Erikson, at each stage we face a conflict between two opposing states of being that shape our personality. Our ability to successfully resolve the conflicts can lead to achieving virtues like hope, will, purpose, and integrity. While failure to do so can lead to outcomes such as mistrust, guilt, role confusion, and despair. Exposure to traumatic experiences can further complicate this developmental process, and lead to problems with self regulation, impulse control and critical thinking ability.

In identity formation, when misalignment occurs between our habitual self and ideal self distress is imminent. To improve towards our ideal self, we must learn to prioritize mental and emotional health by healing past trauma, learning from our mistakes, developing trust, cultivating confidence and creativity and striving towards our desires with humility.

Elijah Thompson