Social Science Research Issue of Identity Essay

Social Science Research Issue of Identity - Essay Example The process of coming out with an apt definition of social identity is much tougher than the one involved in specifying the aforesaid identities, based on biology and physiology. The reason for this is, it is a highly intricate mental process of an individual that makes them develop a specific social identity – it is a process starting from as early as the childhood. Here, many external social factors and influences also do come into play. To elaborate more, the identity that a person develops as belonging to a particular culture or religion and gender is attributable to exposure to the concerned influences, almost right from the time of birth. On the other hand, identities like those that speak of political affiliations, feeling of being a part of some organization, etc, are developed in the later stages of life. Generally, the identity obtained during the younger days, primarily due to family influence, is retained by an individual throughout their lifetime. Here, it needs t o be added that, various experiences an individual faces in life, both pleasant and also otherwise, could make them adopt new identities.Now, the focus would shift to the vital aspect of the manner in which social science researchers are necessitated to design the questions pertaining to their study, based on the identity of the group or people to be interviewed. Though the topic of research could be the same, yet, it is of paramount relevance that the questions and also the pattern in which they are asked need to be modified.