tussenzelf

Tussenzelf is a term appearing in Dutch-language discussions of self and identity. It is not part of established psychological taxonomies and has no single, agreed-upon definition. In common usage it refers to an intermediate or transitional sense of self that operates between internal experience and external action.

Etymology: formed from tussen ('between') and zelf ('self'). The compound emphasizes a transitional self-state rather than a fixed self.

Theoretical usage: Some authors use tussenzelf to analyze moments of social interaction, where a person calibrates expression before it becomes observable; in narrative identity, to describe the way self-stories stage-manage themselves in between inner thought and outward speech; in developmental or therapeutic contexts, to discuss transitional self-regulation.

Reception and critique: Because the term lacks standard definition, it risks ambiguity and imprecision. It is generally treated as a heuristic concept rather than an empirically validated construct, useful for describing transitional experiences but not a precise measurable entity.

Related concepts include self-concept, sense of agency, metacognition, and narrative identity.