Identity Theory and an Interactive Health Identity

Abstract

In order to understand women’s health identity, how identity is formed must be investigated so as to understand the process. In the following chapter, identity formation and methodology employed in the investigation of identity formation will be considered. The concept that personal models of identity and social models of identity are insufficient to separately explain identity construction in the light of a critical approach will be discussed, and a model of identity which includes both social and personal aspects of health identity will be proposed as a more appropriate approach to investigate identity construction. In the following sections, identity will be introduced and compared with personal and social models of identity to arrive at an interactive health identity that includes the location of identity within society through investigation of social theory.