My Gallery - Journey Journal

Three Foundations of Identity Formation in Children


The big questions in developmental psychology — and sits at the centre of  Stemmy The Witch.
Across decades of research (psychology, sociology, education, identity theory), three forces consistently emerge as the core shapers of a child’s identity — including who they think they are and who they believe they can become.

🌟 The Three Foundations of Identity Formation in Children 

 The main one is: 

Narratives create identity.
They allow a child to say, “I belong here — I can be this.”
This is the piece I am exactly working with in Stemmy — and it is one of the strongest identity forces known.

🌟 Experiences and Knowledge (What They Learn)


Children begin forming identity by making sense of the world through the content and experiences they encounter.
Every new piece of knowledge — how the world works, how things behave, how problems are solved — becomes part of their internal “I can do this” narrative.

This includes:

  • exposure to science, maths, reading, art
  • hands-on exploration
  • discovering what they enjoy and tolerate
  • feeling successful (or unsuccessful) in certain domains

It ALL shapes beliefs about competence:

I’m good at this.
This is interesting.
This feels like me.


Scholarly Reference

🌟 Relationships and Community (How They See Themselves)


Identity forms through mirrors and models — the people around a child whose actions, emotions, and expectations send messages about who they can become.

This includes:

  • teachers
  • parents and caregivers
  • peers
  • mentors
  • the attitudes and stereotypes within the community

Children absorb the emotional and social cues in their environment:

  • People like me belong here.
  •  They believe in me.
  •  I’m supported.
  •  I’m welcome in this space.

When girls never see women doing science, the identity message is:
 “Maybe this isn’t for me.”
When they do see it, the message becomes:
“I could be that.”


Scholarly Refernce

🌟 Stories and Symbols (The Narratives They Internalise)


Children literally try on identities they meet in stories. Children form identity through:

  • stories they read
  • characters they admire
  • the roles they see represented
  • the narrative templates they absorb (heroes, explorers, protectors, makers, thinkers)

Stories do the psychological heavy lifting that facts alone cannot. They answer the question:

Who am I allowed to be?

When a child sees a character who:

  • thinks like a scientist
  • solves problems
  • experiments
  • learns from mistakes
  • is curious and brave

…that narrative becomes a psychological blueprint — a permission slip.

Identity researchers call this narrative transport or story-based modelling.


Scholarly Reference

Eroia  Winning  Education Prize

As a classroom teacher, Roy designed and implemented a program that increased the number of girls studying science and won a state prize.

Speaking off the Cuff