Editing Privacy (section)

=== Self-identity and personal growth ===
Privacy may be understood as a prerequisite for the development of a sense of self-identity. Privacy barriers, in particular, are instrumental in this process. According to Irwin Altman, such barriers "define and limit the boundaries of the self" and thus "serve to help define [the self]."<ref name=":5">{{Cite book|title = The Environment and Social Behavior: Privacy, Personal Space, Territory, and Crowding|last = Altman|first = Irwin|publisher = Brooks/Cole Publishing Company|year = 1975|location = Monterey|isbn=}}{{ISBN?}}</ref> This control primarily entails the ability to regulate contact with others.<ref name=":5" /> Control over the "permeability" of the self's boundaries enables one to control what constitutes the self and thus to define what is the self.<ref name=":5" />

In addition, privacy may be seen as a state that fosters personal growth, a process integral to the development of self-identity. Hyman Gross suggested that, without privacy—solitude, anonymity, and temporary releases from social roles—individuals would be unable to freely express themselves and to engage in self-discovery and [[self-criticism]].<ref name=":4" /> Such self-discovery and self-criticism contributes to one's understanding of oneself and shapes one's sense of identity.<ref name=":4" />