The total beginner’s definition of plurality
Short Version
Most people experience themselves as always being one person in one body.
Plurality is a chosen label for any experience that doesn’t fit inside that box: two people sharing a body, a bunch of brain voices in a trenchcoat, spiritual possession, Dissociative Identity Disorder, etc.
Long Version
There can be a lot of variation in one person’s behaviors and beliefs. Despite all this variation, most people experience these variations as all belonging to the same “me”. They are one person in one body.
Some people have a different experience. They feel that parts of their mind are (to some degree) their own selves.
The experience of having more than one self in the same mind or body is called plurality.
It’s normal for people to have different Parts of themselves, and it can be interpreted as a literal experience. People can disagree with themselves and vary their behavior. They might have an “inner child”, “critic voice”, or “work self”. They might even think in dialogues with themselves.
Plural people have parts too, but these parts often behave a bit differently. These parts are not fully experienced as belonging to the same person. They’re at least a little bit separated from the rest of their mind.
The parts of plural systems often have their own senses of self and/or beliefs about the world. They might be able to take full executive control and act in ways that are perceived as “not me” by other parts. This often comes with experiences of being “out of control”: watching your body act without you, being confused by your past decisions and preferences, or feeling like you’ve become a different person entirely.
Plural experiences vary considerably, and no two systems will be exactly the same.
In cases where a lot of dissociation is present, parts may not share memories. This can mean that they might not remember significant periods of time in the past or present. They may not be able to talk to or perceive each other, either, making it harder to work out what happened.
In cases where there isn’t very much dissociation, parts may still have a shared sense of self. They might be experienced as “different versions of me” that are out of each other’s control, but still part of the same person.
All of this is only intended to give a loose idea of what plurality can look like. Ultimately, plurality is a framework for understanding the inside of one’s mind. Some people find that it makes more sense to see themselves as a group of selves working together to live life instead of seeing themselves as one monolithic person. These people might call themselves plural.
See also: Comparison of Frameworks