Once upon a time there was...: An introduction to the concept of narrative identity

Abstract

Narrative identity refers to the stories we tell about how we became the people we are. The present work is an accessible introduction to this concept. First, we briefly describe the theory of psychosocial development, and we explain the position of identity formation in that theory. Then, we define narrative identity and outline its history. We analyse how it develops over the course of our lives and how it is affected by the cultural context. Finally, we present some methods that have been used to study narrative identity, and we provide some suggestions for research that could be conducted in Greece.