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Abstract

This dissertation explores the different ways individuals understand and construct their identity, the aspects individuals consider in order to successfully create functioning selves, and the conflicts which may arise due to the maintenance of multiple selves and how they are addressed. It identifies the techniques used by individuals to address their motivations and the extent to which individuals feel successful in their portrayal of their selves.

A grounded theory epistemology was used to thematically analyse the transcripts produced by six participants. The transcripts produced themes of the self being context specific and based on cultural resources. The sub-themes reveal that the self is tacitly and actively produced by individuals who uses resources such as cultural capital, cultural resources and the embodiment of norms to create the self. The self is reflexive of the one's social milieu and so selves are differentiated by contexts, situations and audiences to avoid conflicts and othering. The production of the self is influenced more by the audience perception of the self than the performance itself which contradicts existing literature.

Course: Sociology with Pyschology - BSc (Hons) - C1509

Date Deposited: 2020-02-10

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis13524.html