selves

The self is the sense of being a distinct, single agent with continuity over time. The plural form, selves, is used either to refer to more than one person or to multiple aspects or identities within a single person.

In psychology, self-concept comprises beliefs about one’s abilities, traits, and identity. The idea of possible selves refers to future versions one might become, which can guide motivation and planning. Self-esteem, self-regulation, and self-awareness are core components, and people commonly enact different selves in different roles or social contexts.

Philosophical and sociological perspectives address how the self persists and is understood. Personal identity questions focus on what makes the same person over time, with theories emphasizing memory, psychological continuity, or branching patterns of identity. The self is also viewed as socially constructed: the looking-glass self describes self-perception as influenced by others’ imagined judgments, while dramaturgical models describe the self as performed across everyday social interactions.

Beyond secular contexts, religion and spirituality often speak of a true or higher self, an inner essence that transcends superficial roles. In cognitive science and artificial intelligence, researchers model the self as a system of self-representation and self-monitoring. The concept of multiple selves also appears in clinical psychology to describe subpersonalities or distinct self-states within a person, though such interpretations vary across theories and cultures.