The face – or mask – we present to the world often varies depending on the situation. But whichever one we select at any given time, the important thing is to be yourself

Here’s a question. If you asked all the people you knew well to choose five adjectives to describe your personality, do you think they would choose the same ones? Would your colleagues, your friends, your family, your acquaintances, universally agree that you were sanguine or melancholic, for example, extrovert or introvert, happy-go-lucky or serious, always prepared or disorganised, a leader or a follower? In other words, do you think they see the same you, or do you present different facets of your character according to the situation and people you’re with?

If you answered no and yes to the questions in that last sentence, then you’re behaving as most adaptable people who seek to fit in do. The fact is that while the ideology of staying true to your authentic self (defined as acting in accordance with your beliefs and desires irrespective of external considerations) is certainly compelling, the reality of life is that the authentic self often needs to wear different hats to function successfully as a social animal.

Jane Montague, head of psychology at the University of Derby, says that though there is a core part of human nature – essentially something that makes people them and which governs their values, likes, dislikes and immediate, spontaneous reactions to situations – they also have a set of different identities that they bring into play according to circumstances.