Self and Identity in Personality Psychology

Authors

  • Dan P. McAdams
    Department of Psychology and Program in Human Development and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
  • Kali Trzesniewski
    Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
  • Jennifer Lilgendahl
    Department of Psychology, Haverford College, Haverford, PA, USA
  • Veronica Benet-Martinez
    Department of Social and Political Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
  • Richard W. Robins
    Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA

Abstract

Research on self and identity has greatly enhanced personality science by directing inquiry more deeply into the person’s conscious mind and more expansively outward into the social environments that contextualize individual differences in behavior, thought, and feeling. After delineating key concepts and offering reasons why personality psychologists should care about self and identity processes, we highlight important empirical discoveries that are of special relevance to personality science in the areas of (1) self-insight, (2) self-conscious emotions, (3) self-esteem, (4) narrative identity, and (5) the role of culture in shaping self, identity, and the integration of personality. We anticipate that future research will also move vigorously to (1) develop more comprehensive and precise accounts of how life experiences influence the development of self and identity, (2) explore more fully how the brain builds a sense of self, and (3) harness what we know about self and identity to improve people’s lives and promote personality development.