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This sense of continuity and sameness for the individual is
secured by identials, just as the continuity of the group, was seen
by Sorokin to rest upon external symbols and external vehicles
(possessions) that characterize the group.
3.21
(i) Idcntials
Identials are objective attributes through which individuals
are able to locate themselves or are located by others within a
’world'.
The most important of all identials is the body.
It appears as an idential in the personal description:
nicknames such as 'limpy', 'redhead' stamp a person's
identity as being a physical one.
The importance of being seen by another is deeply
rooted in psychology. The shame which this being
seen can arouse in man is expressed in a preformed
physiological mechanism (de Levita, 1965:169).
Other 'identials' consist
history, his possessions, all of
However, such location in a world
negative world of meaning.
in the individual's name, his life
which locate him in a 'world'.
may in fact be location into a
In this case, the individual will see himself located in
society by means of negative identials.
3.22 Negative Identit
Erikson supports Berger's approach in so far as he posits
that the individual's way of mastering experience should be congruent
with patterns occurring in social reality and must be rooted in
real accomplishment that has a meaning in culture. However, the
congruence may produce an identity with negative, rather than positive
attributes.