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Public Self and Private Self pp 143–159Cite as

Striving for Specific Identities: The Social Reality of Self-Symbolizing

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Part of the book series: Springer Series in Social Psychology ((SSSOC))

Abstract

Striving for specific identities (e.g., lawyer, mother, pious person) is not a strategic effort at self-presentation, but is rather a nonstrategic approach to self-construction. To understand which form such self-constructive efforts need to take in order to be effective, it is necessary to examine how individuals conceive of the intended identity goal state. My analysis of this issue—which draws on Lewin’s ideas on goal striving—suggests that people define the goal of possessing a certain identity as located on the plane of social reality. That is, one feels it is necessary that others be aware of one’s claim to possession of a particular identity.

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Authors
  1. Peter M. Gollwitzer
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, 44106, USA

    Roy F. Baumeister

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© 1986 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

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Gollwitzer, P.M. (1986). Striving for Specific Identities: The Social Reality of Self-Symbolizing. In: Baumeister, R.F. (eds) Public Self and Private Self. Springer Series in Social Psychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-9564-5_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-9564-5_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-9566-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-9564-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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