Self-narrative as a method for researching self-creation

The article is a continuation of theoretical deliberations on self-creation presented in the earlier work (Jančina, Kubicka, 2014). It contains a detailed characteristics of this pheno­menon, assuming that the object of self-creation activities is the Self, in the sense of its cognitive representation named the Self, and more precisely - the identity of a person. I suggest introducing the concept of a complex self-creation competence, which consists of such detailed competencies as autobiographical knowledge (thinking), autonomy, creativity, transgression, defining and committing oneself to fulfilling long-term goals, and self-reflection. In addition, I search for an adequate method for researching these detailed competencies. The article also contains argumentation in favour of the analysis of the content of self-narratives as the most accurate me­thod of self-creation research as defined here. Therefore, McAdams’s life story model is presented, and a strong argument in favour of such a choice of the research method is given in the form of the deliberations of Zbigniew Pietrasiński, the author of the self-creation concept itself, who conducted research by analysing the biographies of well-known historical figures