Identification..In psychological terms?

Answer 1

From the online medical dictionary: "A process by which an individual unconsciously endeavors to pattern himself after another. This process is also important in the development of the personality, particularly the superego or conscience, which is modeled largely on the behavior of adult significant others."

I think the key, from a psychological perspective, is that it is an unconscious process. Children begin to identify with their parents as they develop and this is seen as normal and necessary. However, identification can also be pathological. There is something called "identification with the aggressor" in which a person, often a child, will emulate a person who is abusive or hostile toward them. It is seen as a way of coping with the trauma.