psychological criteria for identity

Psychological criteria for identity refer to the mental and emotional characteristics that define a person's sense of being the same individual over time. These include persistent memories, personality traits, beliefs, and intentions that create continuity in one's identity. Essentially, if a person retains core mental features—such as recalling past experiences and maintaining a consistent personality—they are considered to have stable personal identity. Changes in these psychological aspects can challenge this sense of continuity, but mental coherence and memory play central roles in maintaining our understanding of who we are.