Chapter 2: Identity and Purpose
→ Explore what makes and shapes identity →
Think about yourself a few years ago.
Are you exactly the same person? You may have gained new experiences, met different people, taken on new responsibilities, faced challenges and learned more about yourself. All of these can influence identity.
Amina was born in Canada. When she was six years old, her family moved to Namibia. She started a new school, made new friends and spent more time at her family compound with cousins and extended family. As the years passed, Amina learned to prepare traditional foods such as mahangu porridge, oshifima and ombidi. She attended local celebrations, joined in traditional dancing and became so good at it that family members often said she was a natural. Dinner was usually eaten at home with the family, and many of her daily routines were shaped by the people and community around her.
At 16, Amina returned to Canada and started high school. Teachers and students often asked where she was from.
Whenever she answered, “Canada,” she could see the surprise on their faces. Her accent made some people question her answer. Among her new friends, Amina was confident and active. She joined the cheerleading team and quickly became one of the school’s strongest track-and-field athletes, continuing something she had already excelled at during her years in Namibia. She still loved the foods, music, dance and traditions she had grown up with there. Some of the habits she developed over the years also remained part of her everyday life. Yet she was also back in the country where she had been born.
What Has Shaped Who Amina Is Today?
Factors That Shaped Identity
“Identity is shaped by what is assigned to us, what we inherit, what we experience, and what we come to understand and believe about ourselves over time.”
— The Africentric Arts View
Amina’s identity was not shaped by one experience alone. Her family, culture, environment, relationships and the places she lived all influenced different parts of who she became.
Identity develops through several influences that interact over time. Together, they shape how we see ourselves, how we relate to others and how we experience the world.
Select the tabs to explore five influences that can shape identity.
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Physical characteristics such as age, sex, features and abilities can influence how you experience the world and how others respond to you.
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Family, culture, language, relationships, community and the roles you take on can shape how you see yourself and what is expected of you.
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Your personality, values, beliefs, interests, emotions, goals and self-understanding influence how you think, choose and respond.
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Your experiences, including achievements, mistakes, opportunities, setbacks and responsibilities, can change how you understand yourself and the world around you.
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The places you live, grow up, study and spend time can shape your experiences, opportunities, relationships and view of the world.
Biological Influences on Identity
Biological influences are characteristics connected to your body and physical development.
Some biological characteristics are visible immediately. Others may not be obvious to other people.
Physical characteristics can affect how people respond to you and how you experience different environments.
For example, someone who is very tall may be encouraged toward certain sports. A person who looks younger than their age may be treated differently from someone who appears older. Physical abilities may influence the activities someone participates in and the skills they develop.
These experiences can affect confidence, interests and how someone begins to describe themselves.
Biology is one influence on identity. It does not determine the person you become.
These may include:
age
sex
physical features
height and body type
physical abilities
characteristics you are born with or develop over time
Social Influences on Identity
None of us develops completely on our own. From childhood, we are surrounded by people, groups and communities that influence what we learn and how we understand ourselves.
We also take on different roles. You may be a student, sibling, friend, teammate, employee, volunteer, leader or the person others depend on.
Every group has expectations, behaviours and ways of doing things. Your family may teach you certain values. Your friends may influence your interests. Your culture may shape traditions and ways of communicating. A sports team may teach discipline and teamwork.
Sometimes these influences agree with one another. Sometimes they do not.
For example, the behaviour expected of you at home may be different from what is expected among friends or at school.
Learning to move between these different environments can also become part of your identity.
Example
Jordan is quiet at school but is the oldest sibling in his family. At home, younger siblings regularly come to him for advice and help. Over time, he begins to see himself as dependable and responsible, even though classmates may simply see him as quiet.
Different relationships can reveal different parts of the same person.
Social influences may include:
family
friends
language
culture
ethnicity
race
heritage
religion
school
teams
workplaces
neighbourhoods
community groups
What role do you play in your family, friendships or community that has influenced how you see yourself?
Experiential Influences on Identity
Your experiences become part of your story. Some are ordinary. Others may change the way you think about yourself completely.
Experiences give us information about ourselves.
You may try something for the first time and discover a skill you did not know you had.
You may struggle with something and learn how you respond under pressure.
You may take on a responsibility that changes how others see you and how you see yourself.
Even two people who experience the same event may take something different from it.
Example
Sam enters a public-speaking competition because a teacher encourages him.
He expects to be nervous and performs better than he imagined.
After that experience, Sam begins volunteering to present group projects and eventually becomes comfortable speaking in front of others.
One experience did not completely define him, but it revealed something about himself that he had not recognized before.
Think About It
What experience has taught you something important about yourself?
Experiences can include:
achievements
mistakes
education
friendships
responsibilities
opportunities
setbacks
travel
work
competition
major life changes
challenges
Geographical Influences on Identity
Where you live can influence what you experience.
Geographical influences may include:
the country where you were born
the neighbourhood where you grew up
the city or town where you live
schools you attended
communities around you
places you have travelled
places where you have spent significant time
Different places expose people to different languages, foods, traditions, opportunities, expectations and ways of living.
Someone growing up in a rural community may have experiences that differ from someone growing up in a large city.
A person who moves between countries may learn different ways of communicating, dressing, eating or interacting with others.
This does not mean everyone from one place will develop the same identity.
Place creates experiences. People respond to those experiences in different ways.
Remember Amina?
Amina was born in Canada but spent much of her childhood in Namibia. During those years, her language, routines, food, relationships and cultural experiences changed. When she returned to Canada, people sometimes questioned where she was from because of her accent. Both countries had become part of her life experience.
Think About It
Which place has influenced you most, and what did you learn or experience there?
In your notebook, choose one place that has been important in your life. It could be a country, city, neighbourhood, school or community.
Complete these sentences:
Being connected to __________ exposed me to __________.
Because of this place, I learned __________.
One thing this place influenced about me is __________.
Then reflect:
If I had grown up somewhere completely different, what parts of me might be different today?
Psychological Influences on Identity
Not every part of identity comes from what other people can see. Some influences happen internally.
Two people can experience the same situation and respond differently because they think, value and interpret things differently.
One person may enjoy being surrounded by people. Another may prefer quieter environments. One person may value competition. Another may care more about cooperation.
Your beliefs and values can influence the choices you make, the relationships you build and the goals you pursue. How you think about yourself also matters. If you begin seeing yourself as capable, dependable, creative or determined, that understanding may influence what you are willing to attempt.
Example
Two students receive the same difficult assignment.
One thinks, “I am terrible at this,” and avoids starting.
The other thinks, “I do not understand it yet, but I can ask for help.”
Their abilities may be similar, but the way they interpret the situation affects what they do next.
Think About It
What value, belief or personal quality strongly influences the choices you make?
Psychological influences may include:
personality
values
beliefs
interests
emotions
goals
motivation
mindset
self-talk
self-understanding
What Would You Do?
Your final grade depends on a group project. One of your close friends has missed meetings and has not completed their part because they are dealing with a difficult personal situation. The project is due tomorrow. Your teacher asks:
“Did everyone contribute equally?”
There is not one answer that automatically makes you a good or bad person. The more important question is:
Why did you choose that response? Your answer can reveal something about the values and priorities influencing your choices. It might be fairness, loyalty, compassion, responsibility, honesty, avoiding conflict, accountability? That is part of your psychological identity.
Understanding Your Strengths and Abilities
The biological, social, experiential, psychological and geographical influences that shape your identity can also influence your strengths, skills, talents and perspective. Some abilities may come naturally. Others develop through practice, education, responsibilities, relationships, opportunities and experience.
Your strengths are qualities that help you handle situations well. Your skills are abilities you learn and improve. Your talents are abilities that may come more naturally and grow with practice. Your perspective is shaped by what you have experienced, learned and observed.
You may notice these qualities in what you do well, what comes easily to you, what others ask you for help with, the responsibilities you manage and the challenges you have learned to handle.
Understanding what has shaped you is only part of knowing who you are. Recognizing what those influences have developed or revealed in you helps you understand what you can contribute.
Your identity is your foundation. Your strengths, abilities and perspective help shape what you can do with it.
My superpower
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Qualities that help you respond, perform or contribute effectively.
Examples:
resilience
patience
creativity
determination
adaptability
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Abilities that may come naturally to you.
Examples:
drawing
singing
storytelling
numbers
sports
connecting with people
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Things you learn and improve through practice.
Examples:
public speaking
graphic design
budgeting
writing
planning
coding
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The way your experiences and identity may help you see or understand something differently.
Your perspective can be valuable because you may notice needs, ideas or possibilities that someone with different experiences may not notice.
Challenge yourself to identify what makes you stand out.
Write This down In Your Notebook:
What am I naturally good at?
What do people often ask me for help with?
What have I learned to do well?
What comes easily to me that may be difficult for someone else?
What strengths have I developed through my experiences?
What qualities do I bring to a group?
What am I proud of about the way I think, work or relate to others
Knowledge Check
