Discuss the personal-social identity continuum. Using this model, describe your personal identity and your social identity as a member of this class.

What will be an ideal response?

- The personal-social identity continuum is a concept reflecting how individuals perceive themselves differently depending on where they are at a particular moment in time. The personal identity end of this continuum refers to thinking of ourselves primarily as individuals. The social identity end refers to thinking of ourselves as members of specific social groups. Because it is impossible to experience all aspects of our self-concept simultaneously, the specific aspect of our identity that is prominent at any given moment influences how we think about ourselves, and this in turn has consequences for our behavior.
- Our personal identities are prominent, and this is likely to result in self-descriptions that emphasize how we are different from others.
- At the other end of the personal-social identity continuum, we can perceive ourselves as members of a group, which means we emphasize the ways we are similar to other group members. At the social identity level, we describe ourselves in terms of the attributes shared by members of our group as well as what differentiates "our group" from other groups.
- Student examples will vary but must reflect two separate identities. One must emphasize how the student differs from others. The other must emphasize how the student is similar to members of the group (classmates).