individuation

Individuation is a term used in philosophy, psychology, and biology to denote the process by which a thing becomes a distinct, individuated entity. In philosophy, it addresses how individuals are distinguished from general types and how an entity remains itself through change, raising questions about identity, persistence, and the criteria that define an individual object or agent.

In biology, individuation refers to the development of a multicellular organism or the differentiation of cells and tissues into distinct organs, or the emergence of a new organism from an embryo, colony, or other higher-level unit. It describes how a living system organizes itself into a coherent, functionally specialized whole.

In psychology, particularly in Jungian theory, individuation is the lifelong process of integrating the conscious and unconscious parts of the psyche to achieve wholeness and a more autonomous self. It involves recognizing and reconciling disparate aspects such as the persona, shadow, and, in some interpretations, the anima or animus, aimed at developing the Self as the central organizing principle of the psyche. This process is frequently described as iterative and transformative, often catalyzed by experiences that reveal inner conflicts or overlooked potentials.

In sociology and related fields, individuation describes the social-psychological process by which individuals become autonomous agents within broader social structures. The concept is often associated with modernity and the expansion of individual rights, identity, and self-determination, while noting tensions between individual agency and collective norms. Overall, individuation encompasses diverse but related ideas about how entities become distinct, coherent, and self-determining.