ABSTRACT
The way people make sense of actions determines what, if anything, those actions say about their identity. Action identification theory specifies that any action can be construed or interpreted in an almost unlimited number of ways. A core sense of self arises at a young age from experiences of intersubjectivity, a state of connection and mutual understanding that emerges during interaction with another person. Intersubjectivity involves a sense of coordination between one's own and others' actions. The sense of self is shaped by interaction with others, then, and these encounters continue to influence one's self even when the other people are no longer around, particularly if one anticipates interacting with them again. The way one thinks and feels about oneself, and even the way one regulates one's behavior, is shaped by real and imaginary interactions with others. Public behavior represents a commitment to a certain identity, obligating the person to continue to maintain this identity in future interactions.
