These are terms that we use to describe our plurality. Some of these are terms that are broadly used by other systems and some of these are terms that we coined and only use when describing our system.
Alter / headmate / member of a system: An alter is a single member of a system; they are a fully-formed person in their own right, with an appearance, personality, opinions, memories, and relationships.
Integrity / Person/Form Integrity: Integrity is the "connectedness" or lack thereof between the our form takes and our person. Similar to body dysmorphia.
Our Person: Our person is our body, the physical corporeal form that we have in the real world.
Co-fronting: Co-fronting is when more than alter is fronting at a time.
Fictive: NOTE: "Fictive" is a term that has a variety of terms when used in the plural community. We use the specific definition we discuss here. A fictive is an alter who is heavily influenced by a fictional character. How closely they actually resemble that character in personality and appearance can vary highly.
Form: An alter's form is the appearance that they have within headspace.
Fronting: NOTE: "Headspace" is a term that has a variety of terms when used in the plural community. We use the specific definition we discuss here. Fronting describes which alter is currently controlling our person.
Headspace: Headspace is a mental space wherein alters interact.
Host: The alter at the "center" of a system. Most hosts are the "original" version of a person, before their alters split. Our original host no longer exists, so we typically don't use this part of the defition.
Plural: An umbrella term for people who have multiple conciousnesses within a single brain. This can take various forms, such as disorders like DID or OSDD. We stray away from pathologizing our plurality, and merely view it as part of our life experience. It is better to think of the differences between plurality and singularity as more of a spectrum than two entirely seperated experiences.
Singlet: A singlet is the opposite of a system; a single person with a single conciousness.
Splitting: Splitting is the process of a new alter coming into existence.
Switching: Switching is when a different member of the system comes to front or co-front.