self-identity theory and research methods

This article introduces the focus and methods of clinical psychodynamic research for researchers and professionals from other fields. It draws attention to the notions of “self” and “identity,” two key concepts in psychodynamic sciences. Our different experiences of self are a result of different unconscious generalizations about self becoming dominant at different times, in different social or cultural settings. These generalizations, or self-schemas, are fed by various conscious and unconscious inputs, which may be of personal or social origin. Accordingly, self-schemas need not be consistent with each other. Their overall organization (i.e., self-organization) can vary from being rather fragmented to effectively harmonious. A harmonious level of self-organization manifests in an intuitive sense of self as intending, attending, and expecting according to unified attitudes. A fragmented level of self-organization, on the other hand, manifests in a chaos of selfhood, accompanied by a loss of emotional governance. Naturally, the level of self-organization determines the identity of a person, that is, the person’s conscious or intuitive sense of sameness over time. Psychodynamic researchers are interested in assessing the level of self-organization in a person and supporting the person in achieving higher levels of self-organization, if possible. The article presents different methods used in such research, namely quantitative modeling based on self-report data and analysis of verbal narratives. An awareness of this field can alert other researchers dealing with human beings to the issues of multiple selves and the role of unconscious generalizations in how people feel, think, and behave in different situations.