Lecture 1

What are the two perspectives on the self-described as the “I” and the “Me,” and how do they differ?

-I refers to the self as a knower (awareness, choice, regulation) 

-Me refers to the self as known (traits, roles, narratives; self concept)

How does personality psychology differ from self psychology in its approach to studying the self?

-Personality psychology describes stable traits and individual differences (what people are really like) 

-Self psychology studies self concept, self evaluation, and self-processes 

Why are psychologists interested in studying the self? What functions does the self serve?

-Influences how we interpret the world, guides goals and motivations, regulate behavior and emotions 

-The self serves many different aspects of our lives and can often influence how we perceive ourselves and others 

What are the four basic principles of the self discussed in this lecture?

1. We know ourselves less well than we think 

2. The self is multifaceted and dynamic 

3. The self is shaped by others 

4. The self shapes our social judgements

What does it mean to say that “we know ourselves less well than we think”? What is affective forecasting?

-Self knowledge is often biased and incomplete 

-Affective forecasting is when we mispredict our own thoughts and feelings 

How is the self multifaceted and dynamic? Can multiple selves be authentic?

-Different roles contexts and cultures bring out different selves 

-Multiple selves can be authentic 

How does the example of Lady Gaga illustrate the idea of multiple authentic selves?

Shows different selves based in different contexts 

Ex: performer vs private

What does research by Strohminger (2014) suggest is most essential to personal identity: memory, intelligence, personality, or moral character?

Moral character is the most essential to identity  

How does the case of Jimmie G. (from Oliver Sacks’ The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat) illustrate the relationship between memory and identity?

-Was an ex navy sailor unable to from new memories

-Stuck in the past, but would he be the same person without those memories? 

How does culture shape the self? What differences were found between American, Chinese, and Samburu?

Depending on culture, different traits resonated with different groups

Individual vs Collective cultures 

What did Cousins (1989) and Ma & Schoeneman (1997) find about how people from different cultures describe themselves?

Individualistic cultures ranked personal characteristics higher than Collective cultures. While collective cultures ranked roles and group membership higher

What happens to the self in isolation, according to Neil Ansell’s experience living alone?

In self isolation, there is no need for personal identity 

What are parasocial relationships, and how can they influence our sense of self?

Parasocial relationships refers to when we form strong bonds with people we don’t know like celebrities 

-Can effect self esteem, belonging, and social identity 

-Can indicate rejection and loneliness 

How do perceptions from others shape our self-concept more than objective reality?

Our identities develop through relationships, groups, and social feedback 

-Prescription matter more than reality (ex: anorexia) 

-What we perceived is what we believed 

What is the sociometer theory and the heirometer theory, and how do they relate to belonging and status?

-Sociometer theory is when we care a lot about whether we belong or accepted 

-Heirometer theory is when we care about our status and hierarchy 

How does the self influence our social judgments, especially in relationships?

-How we see ourselves influences how we see others 

-Low self esteem can distort perceptions of partners and friends (insecurities)

What did Sandra Murray’s (2002) study reveal about self-esteem and responses to perceived relationship threats?

People with low self esteem tend to devalue their partner after threat, while high self esteem became more supporting  

How does self-esteem affect how people evaluate their partners after experiencing a threat?

-Low self esteem caused increased doubts and worry about partner 

-High self esteem cause increase confidence in partner 

What is the key takeaway about the self’s role in shaping our thoughts, behaviors, and relationships?

-The self is a filter which affects all of our thoughts and behaviors 

-Critical to understand self in order to understand human psychology and behavior