TravelIAQ Lexicon
Identity Continuity
People do not always fear change. They fear losing the person they became while surviving the past.
Identity Continuity describes the human need to preserve a coherent sense of self while adapting to new circumstances. People often fear change not because the future is worse, but because they are uncertain whether the person who emerges from that future will still feel like themselves.
Examples
- Changing careers; moving to another country; becoming a parent; retirement; ending a long relationship; starting university.
First Appeared In
Do people fear change even when it is good?
Origin
The concept emerged from observing that positive change can still produce grief and hesitation because people seek continuity between their past and future selves.