ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the fundamental interaction at play in identity formation between being oneself and being shaped by others. It describes a wide range of theoretical positions and reflections to present a variety of understandings of identity and self-concept. The chapter explores links between body and identity that appears particularly topical today, as individuals are losing their bodies in the virtual realm. Self-concept is the driver of identity formation, and in many ways it is the basis of coaching and developmental dialogues, where the individual wants to examine him/herself, with a desire to find a slightly different way of being. Anthony Giddens describes self-reflexivity as ‘the process whereby self-identity is constituted by the reflexive structuring of self-narratives’. The sociocentric, relational and social-constructionist direction aims to examine the self within a system of diverse social relationships and varying social settings. The performative aspect of the self is becoming increasingly important for our ability to preserve degree of control over our identity.
