Our Social Identity

It is probably the most fundamental question that we ask ourselves of all: Who am I? We look into the mirror  and see one who laughs, cries, interacts with others, wants to be alone, is wise, foolish, confident, uncertain, etc. and, not surprisingly, wonder who this person really is. It is a great question and one many of us wrestle with our entire lives. (And as we try to formulate an answer, there is also the question of whether we like that person "in the looking glass." That, too, is one that triggers much internal debate.) "Who am I?" is part of our quest and need to identify and ultimately embrace our social identity.

As a range of scholars over the years have suggested, one's social identity helps a person fit it with the world around them, a world in recent years made much more intimate as a result of our ever-growing connectinesness. In a recent paper, scholars Karen Rosenblum, David Haines and Hyunyiung Cho discuss how our social identity helps each of us better understand "where" we are, "who" we are, and "how" that will matter when it comes to our many interactions. To add to that, gaining a full understanding of our social identity helps us better come to grips with our fundamental "home;" that is, who exactly we are.

This is a big deal in determining how well we communicate to ourselves and with others. Taking myself as one example, if I am uncertain or confused in any situation, then I tend to be more quiet and, at times, a bit defensive if I sense others might recognize that insecurity within me. On the other hand, I am more apt to initiate engagement if I feel to be on more firm ground when it comes to a subject matter or my sense of self in a given situation. This is why that most fundamental question is not only good to ask, figuring out an answer is extremely important. Bottom line: it helps shape our ability to succeed and, of course, communicate.