Feeling like you know who you are: perceived true self-knowledge and meaning in life
From Personality and Social Psychology Bulleti
“Who in the world am I?” asks Lewis Carroll in Alice in Wonderland and refers to this as the “great puzzle”. The true self is defined as who a person really is. Many people believe that this true self is a vitally important part of a person’s identity. It has been argued that one function of the true self-concept is to create meaning in people’s lives. This research examines whether the subjective feeling of knowing one’s true self also predicts meaning in life. It adds to the growing literature implicating the true self’s association with psychological health and well-being. It is clear that people value the traits and roles that most accurately represent their true self concept. Uncertainty in understanding one’s true self may lead to doubt about the purpose of one’s life.
