the self, identity and difference

Question 1

what is identity

Answer 1

how individuals/groups see and define themselves, and how others see and define them

Question 2

social construction of self & identity

Answer 2

identity is socially caused and created by socialisation process - different aspects of identity only have significance because people attach some importance to them e.g class, ethnicity, gender

Question 3

multiple identities

Answer 3

some people may asset different identities in different circumstances e.g Muslim around family or as a manager at work
identities change over time

Question 4

individual/personal identity

Answer 4

woodward suggests this type of identity is concerned with the question ‘who am I?’ - how people define themselves in comparison to others & their own understanding of who they really are; their own self-concept or what Mead called the ‘inner me’

Question 5

social identity

Answer 5

defines individuals in relation to the social groups they belong to and how these differ to other groups; men & women, ethnic groups ect.
social identities may arise from the social roles people play e.g mothers and fathers, teachers and students

Question 6

collective identity

Answer 6

an identity shared by a social group involving both personal and social identities but involves considerable elements of choice - individuals choose to identify with a group e.g a feminist

Question 7

stigmatised or ‘spoiled’ identities

Answer 7

Goffman said that stigmatised characteristics could lead to this type of identity - seen as undesirable and stops people being fully accepted into society
people with this type of identity may face negative consequences e.g treated with contempt/fear
any attempts made by individuals to present an alternative impression of themselves will fail