Identity & Difference
Prepared by
Dr. Teena Saharan

You Relate yourself with….

Why Women Empowerment is
Important?

What makes each of us who we are?
• Is it role in a family (e.g., daughter, sister,
mother), our hobbies and interests (e.g., guitar
player, football fan), our background (e.g.,
religion, race, nationality, hometown, place of
birth), and our physical characteristics?
OR
• What skills and different roles I play in life; my
situations define me or the labels that others put
on me, While others see me as having that
identity, I don't.

What is Identity?
• Identities are the traits and characteristics, social relations,
roles, and social group memberships that define who one
is.
• Identities can be focused on the past-what used to be true
of one, the present-what is true of one now, or the future-
the person one expects or wishes to become, the person
one feels obligated to try to become, or the person one
fears one may become.
• Identities are orienting, they provide a meaning-making
lens and focus one's attention on some but not other
features of the immediate context.
• Together, identities make up one's self-concept variously
described as what comes to mind when one thinks of
oneself, one's theory of one's personality, and what one
believes is true of oneself.

Draw an Identity Matrix

What is Self?
• Self is both a product of situations and a shaper of behavior
in situations.
• Making sense of oneself-who one is, was, and may become,
and therefore the path one should take in the world-is a
core self-project.
• An individualistic perspective focuses on how one is
separate and different from others, but people can also
consider how they are similar and connected via
relationships (sometimes called a collectivistic perspective).
• An immersed perspective focuses on the self up close and
from inside the mind's eye, but people can also consider
themselves in other ways. They can consider how they
might look from a distance, how they might look from the
outside, in the eyes of others.

Let’s Talk About You…
(Would you like to be same as others are?)

What is different?
• Definition: Not the same as another or each
other; unlike in nature, form, or quality.

Why Different?
• Being different makes you more fascinating
• You aren’t living to please others
• Being different means you’re irreplaceable!
• It will make you more attractive and boost
your confidence

Cont…
• It allows you to be true to yourself
• It’s a lot less stress
• You develop true and lasting relationships
• It helps increase your creative potential
• You contribute so much more to the world
• It helps increase self esteem
• It prepares you for greater success
• You have the power to say no when you want
• You will have fewer regrets
• You are a much needed inspiration to others-to all of
us.

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