Introduction: Becoming a psychologist—What does that mean?

This chapter introduces the general premise of this book and gives an overview of the conceptual framework and the main focus. It addresses the concept of professional identity and deals with the process of becoming a psychologist in environments of heterogeneous representations (i.e., academic and non-academic settings for development). Particular attention is paid to university studies at the bachelor's level and an individual's transition to the social position of being a psychology student, which is accompanied by changes in the dynamics of interpersonal relationships and manifests in the re-organization of the structure of the self. The chapter examines the process of constructing a professional identity and, specifically, how different aspects of the self—personal and professional—are coordinated when students socialize through a professional role.