“Multiple Identities”: Without discontinuity of memory, it is multiple roles, not multiple identities

Some psychologists say that everyone has “multiple identities”: https://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2019/07/multiple-identities. But they are really talking about multiple roles. And although everyone does have multiple roles, everyone does not have multiple identities.

“Multiple identities” is best used as a synonym for “multiple personalities.” The former avoids a semantic problem: Strictly speaking, a person can have only one personality, if “personality” is defined as the characteristic, overall pattern of a person’s behavior.

The nontrivial sense in which a person may be said to have multiple identities or multiple personalities relates to discontinuity of memory. In a person with multiple identities or personalities, each identity or personality has its own memory bank.

Consider, for example, a white lesbian. Are race and sexuality two roles or two identities? If, when involved in racial issues, but when not involved in sexual matters, she remembers everything about, and completely identifies with, her sexual thoughts and activity, then race and sex are two roles.

But if memories are compartmentalized and dissociated, then there are two identities or personalities. People who do not have this discontinuity of memory may not realize that some people do have it.