Identity
Michael Hecht, researcher on the field of human communication, tells us that identity is a social process. It is the sense of oneself formed through our interactions with other people. As social beings, we communicate, interact and relate with others. This leads to our identity by having our self-concept and the conception of others to ourselves. Our identity is shaped through our relationships with the people around us and ourselves.
Hecht also said that identity is constructed in and through communication. It’s defined by our language, verbal/nonverbal communication and how we essentially interact with other people. Our identities are defined both directly and indirectly. This shows that our identity is not fixed, but constantly changing.
Perspectives of Identity
Hecht shows to us 4 frames or perspectives of identity. These are: personal, enacted, relational and communal. The personal frame is how we see ourselves. We know who we are, our likes and dislikes, our goals, dreams and desires, our strengths and weaknesses. An example would be that I personally have a goal to be the best version of myself everyday. I love science, math, technology, art, music, exercise, meditation and learning in general. I hate negative thoughts, procrastination (although I still do it huhu), and people who are not true to themselves.
Next, the enacted frame is are our outward expressions of our identity. These are the actions we take upon as to express ourselves of who we are. For me, I love music. I would act that I really love music. This would be through I learning the theories, practicing my guitar skills and ultimately, performing to others.
The third is the relational frame, which explains what others see in us, that we don’t necessary see in ourselves. This frame talks about our identity from the perspective of others. People in my previous school see me as ‘smart’, but honestly, I just have good grades because I work, study diligently and did by best.
Lastly, the communal frame talks about our identity as a community – how we see ourselves in our culture and tradition. I see myself as a Filipino, simply because I live in the Philippines. I also am a Cebuano, which is distinct of a Manileño, because I do not usually use the words ‘po’ and ‘opo’. Also, in the past, the LGBTQ+ are viewed as aliens of the society (but now is slowly accepted by the community). The people who are part of the LGBTQ+ are discriminated while those who are not are viewed as ‘normal’.
Interpenetration of the Frames
Dialectical tensions in the interpenetration of the frames is the relationship of the four frames discussed. This shows how each frame coexist with one another to form one’s identity. These frames may be contradicting to each other, but they strengthen a person’s identity. Per perspective is how we view a person’s identity.
An example would be my experience in the past. In my previous school, I never saw myself as the “smart guy”. I saw myself the diligent one. I worked and studied hard. Most of all, I prayed to God that in everything I do, He will bless my path. With that, I have high grades than usual compared to the general population. However, most of the people saw as the one that I never saw myself – “the smart guy”. Now that I am in UP, a prestigious a school labelled as with the most brightest and motivated of students, the identity that my friends in my previous school see in me, is strengthened. With that, I start to see myself as “smart”.
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