Hello and good evening, or morning, when you go with a group of friends are you still yourself? I know, a strange thing to ask but let me explain. Do you believe your personality changes a little bit depending on whether you are by yourself or with some friends, coworkers at the job, or just complete strangers? Well, this might not be as uncommon as some may think, but a switch everyone makes daily. Depending on the amount and type of people that are around you will decide if you display your personal identity or social identity.
Personal Identity is how one projects their own qualities and characteristics, while on the other hand, Social Identity is the projection, or performance, of oneself depending on the group we are currently with (Gruman et al., 2017). For example, when you are by yourself and one of your favorite songs comes on, you may start to dance and sing to the music without care in the world. However, when at work or with a group of people, you might keep your excitement to yourself. Why? Well, that depends on the person’s interest, personality, and circumstances. Overall, everyone has their own reasons for why they portray themselves the way they do.
Here are some more explained reasons for this personality switch. According to Social Identity Theory, people want to show off their best selves, especially when they are around a group they like (Tajfel & Turner, 1986). As social creatures, it is not surprising that we sometimes put social factors over our sense of self. The circumstances we can be in also influence how we act amongst others. If someone in a social setting decide to copy someone else, this could be normative social influence and/or informational social influence, depending on whether they want to be liked or to just do the right process respectively (Mcleod et al., 2023). Another probable reason for our difference of personal and social identity could be how introverted or extroverted some people are, so either they feel more comfortable or happy by themselves or with others. Finally, someone could feel that if they do not adapt to the situation, they will lose something they care for, this kind of adaptation is called acquiescence (Foss et al., 2013).
To sum this up, there are many reasons that someone can switch their persona based on whether people are around or not. Whether it is for personal safety, for positive social identity, or just to navigate a space they are unfamiliar with, people will warp themselves to fit the occasion. This is not them necessarily putting on a facade, or being fake, but making the best decision for their current situation. For this reason is why social psychology delves into the intricate nuances of human behavior, examining how we are warped by the influences of both perceived and actual others within our social circles, to better understand our social tendencies.
References:
Foss, S. K., Foss, K. A., & Domenico, M. E. (2013). Gender stories: Negotiating identity in a binary world. Waveland Press, Inc.
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Mcleod, S., on, U., & 11, J. (2023, June 11). Understanding conformity: Normative vs. informational social influence. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/normative-informational-social-influence.html
I always find myself opposing the statement, “You act different around certain people”. I think to myself “well obviously”. It depends on the circumstances, the environment, my mood, my feelings, there are so many factors that affect the way I act around certain people. For example, my friends I’ve known for years they see my personal identity. Meanwhile as I waitress, some days it feels like a performance, as if I go into work in a bad mood my money would be highly effected. My customers often see my social identity. This doesn’t mean it is a “fake” version of me, rather it is me attempting to be my best self, regardless of any true feelings I am having at the moment. I have to master putting aside my home life, to give my customers the best service, and a good experience while they eat.
Something that I would love to touch upon that you mentioned in your blog is mirroring of personality’s. Many people struggle on how to behave appropriately in social situations, it can be difficult. Take for example, going to a party where you don’t know anyone. Most people would feel anxious but realize the importance of having a social life. The best thing to do in situations like this is mirror the behaviors of others! As time goes on you can develop a more personal identity with these people, but if you’re unsure, just mirror behaviors. For example, if you’re a smoker, go out with smokers and strike a conversation, or stand with a group of people, they will likely include you in their conversation. Lastly, when it comes to what would be appropriate in the moment, mirror the other person (Ebage,2000)! Mirroring can be a safe way to socialize.
References:
Rise: How to … mix with clients without letting the side down Avoid embarrasing gaffes by mirroring their behaviour. (2000, October 14). Guardian [London, England], 4. https://link-gale-com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/apps/doc/A75695035/GIC?u=psucic&sid=bookmark-GIC&xid=5f4feaeb
The concept of social vs personal identities is very captivating for many people because it truly showcases multiple elements of someone’s personality. One way to compare these two concepts is by asking someone to describe themself, and then asking the people around them to describe them. For example, would yourself, your significant other, your boss, and your dentist all describe you the same way? The answer is most likely no for this question because the majority of the time people display their social identity when they are around people that they aren’t completely comfortable with.
Your personal identity is how you view yourself differently from others, and the qualities you would use to describe yourself uniquely. For instance, Psychology Today says your personal identity is built upon your interests, hobbies, personality traits, favorite foods, education, and much more. The key to understanding personal identity is to know that it is the traits that make each individual person different from others.
In contrast, your social identity is how you accommodate to your surroundings, and how you are similar to others. Psychology Today focuses on the “Big 8” of social identities. These include age, race, gender, ability, religion, class, immigration status, and sexual orientation. Social identities are traits that make you comparable to others, and they are often very difficult to change. Often times social identities can come with privileges that we may not recognize right away, but may be very prominent to people in “other groups”.
Overall, social identities and personal identities are very different but they both heavily influence one’s personality. It is important to also recognize the privileges you may hold simply by associating with a certain social identity. Personally, I believe focusing on every person’s unique qualities can truly showcase their personality.
References:
Sussex Publishers. (n.d.). Personal and social identity: Who are you through others’ eyes. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/lifetime-connections/202110/personal-and-social-identity-who-are-you-through-others-eyes