Culture & Lifestyle • Psychology

Identity (social science)

Identity in the social sciences refers to how people define themselves and are defined by others through personal traits, social roles, and group memberships.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated September 11, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Identity in the social sciences refers to how people define themselves and are defined by others through personal traits, social roles, and group memberships. It is studied across psychology, sociology, and related fields as both an individual sense of self and a socially constructed category. The concept also includes the distinction between personal identity and social identity.

Definitions

Identity is commonly described as the answer to questions such as “Who are you?” or “Who am I?” In social science, it may mean a person’s self-concept, a social category, or a socially meaningful characteristic.

Personal identity refers to the traits and values that make an individual distinct, while social identity refers to group-based membership and the meanings attached to those memberships. Social identity theory examines how these forms of identity influence perception and behavior.

Identity in psychology

Psychological approaches often treat identity as part of selfhood, including goals, values, and a sense of continuity over time. Some approaches, including Eriksonian development theory, view identity formation as a key task of adolescence and young adulthood.

Sociological and social-psychological approaches emphasize identity as socially constructed through categories, roles, and relationships. These identities are shaped by institutions, culture, and interaction, and they can change across contexts and over time.

Key facts

Identity can refer to the qualities, roles, and characteristics that define a person or group.
In social psychology, social identity is the part of self-concept derived from membership in social groups.
Identity is often discussed as both subjective self-understanding and objective social categorization.
Scholars distinguish personal identity, which emphasizes individuality, from social identity, which emphasizes group affiliation.
Identity can include many dimensions, such as nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, occupation, and political affiliation.

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Canadian context

Identity is highly relevant to Canadian public life because Canadian social science, education, and policy frequently address identity categories such as Indigenous identity, multicultural identity, language, religion, race, gender, and citizenship.

Frequently asked questions

What is identity in social science?

It is the set of meanings, roles, traits, and group memberships through which a person or group is understood and understands itself.

What is social identity?

Social identity is the part of a person’s self-concept that comes from membership in social groups such as nationality, religion, or occupation.

How is personal identity different from social identity?

Personal identity emphasizes unique individual traits, while social identity emphasizes shared group membership and social categories.

Why is identity important in psychology?

Identity helps organize self-understanding, guide goals and behavior, and provide a sense of continuity over time.

Can identity change over time?

Yes. Social-science accounts generally treat identity as shaped by experience, context, and social interaction, so it can be revised or reinterpreted.

References

Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_(social_science)
Supports: Broad overview of identity in social science and examples of identity dimensions.
MIT Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science — https://oecs.mit.edu/pub/qlm9zp9e
Supports: Definition of social identity as self-concept derived from group membership.
Stanford University — https://web.stanford.edu/group/fearon-research/cgi-bin/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/What-is-Identity-as-we-now-use-the-word-.pdf
Supports: Conceptual distinctions among identity as social category, self-definition, and socially distinguishing feature.
Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/social-identity-theory
Supports: Social identity theory and the relation between personal and social identities.
Thomas Edison State University — https://opened.tesu.edu/introsocialpsychology/chapter/self-and-identity/
Supports: Identity formation in adolescence and young adulthood; sense of temporal continuity.
University of Wisconsin–Madison Libraries — https://learn.library.wisc.edu/reflecting-on-social-justice-foundational-concepts/lesson-1/
Supports: Definitions of social identity and personal identity; examples of identity groups.