Self-Concept and Related Constructs

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, theories, and studies related to self-concept, self-esteem, and child psychological development.

Self-Concept

An individual’s overall perception, evaluation, and beliefs about themselves; shapes emotions, behavior, and relationships.

Existential Self

The earliest awareness that one exists as a separate, continuous entity; appears in infancy around 2–3 months.

Categorical Self

Recognition that the self can be classified into categories (e.g., age, gender, traits); develops after the existential self.

Self-Image

The mental picture of one’s appearance and personal traits, including how one thinks others see them.

Actual Self

How a person currently sees their own attributes, roles, and abilities based on self-awareness.

Self-Esteem (Self-Worth)

The extent to which one likes, values, and approves of oneself; involves positive or negative self-evaluation.

High Self-Esteem

Positive self-evaluation linked to confidence, resilience, and optimism when facing life challenges.

Low Self-Esteem

Negative self-view marked by self-doubt, feelings of worthlessness, and greater risk of depression or anxiety.

Ideal Self

The person one aspires to become, embodying goals, ambitions, and valued traits; motivates growth.

Congruence

Alignment between a person’s real/actual self and ideal self; fosters psychological well-being (Rogers).

Incongruence

Discrepancy between actual experience and ideal self, often leading to dissatisfaction or low self-esteem.

Q-Sort Method

Humanistic assessment in which individuals sort self-descriptive cards to measure congruence between self-image and ideal self.

Twenty Statements Test

Kuhn’s tool asking participants to answer “Who am I?” twenty times, revealing social roles and personality traits.

Perseverance Effect

Tendency to maintain positive beliefs about oneself even when presented with evidence to the contrary.

Argyle’s Four Factors of Self-Esteem

Reactions of others, comparison with others, social roles, and identification with roles/groups shape self-esteem.

Mr. Clean / Mr. Dirty Experiment

Morse & Gergen (1970) study showing self-esteem rises beside a lower-status peer (Mr. Dirty) and drops beside a higher-status peer (Mr. Clean) while awaiting a job interview.

Reference Group Comparison

Evaluating oneself against others; upward comparisons can lower, and downward comparisons can raise, self-esteem.

Harrill Self-Esteem Inventory

A 15-item questionnaire used to measure an individual’s level of self-esteem.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Projective test where individuals create stories about ambiguous images; responses can reveal aspects of self-esteem and personality.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Rogers’s concept of accepting and valuing a person without judgment; essential for developing congruence and self-actualization.