These experiments showed a behavior pattern that was distinct from the personality of the individual when he was in the waking state compared with when he was under hypnosis.

The existence of 'another self' was first fully recognized in the 18th century, when Anton Mesmer and his followers used hypnosis to separate the alter ego. Similarly, the term alter ego may be applied to the role or persona taken on by an actor or by other types of performers.Ĭicero coined the term as part of his philosophical construct in 1st-century Rome, but he described it as 'a second self, a trusted friend'. The term is also sometimes, but less frequently, used to designate a hypothetical 'twin' or 'best friend' to a character in a story. A distinct meaning of alter ego is found in the literary analysis used when referring to fictional literature and other narrative forms, describing a key character in a story who is perceived to be intentionally representative of the work's author (or creator), by oblique similarities, in terms of psychology, behavior, speech, or thoughts, often used to convey the author's thoughts. The altered states of the ego may themselves be referred to as alterations. Finding one's alter ego will require finding one's other self, one with a different personality. ( January 2022) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)Īn alter ego ( Latin for 'other I', ' doppelgänger') means an alternate self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or true original personality. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. This article possibly contains original research.

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