COM120 4.1 Communication and the Self-Concept

Self - concept

The relatively stable set of perceptions you hold of yourself.

Self - esteem

The part of the self-concept that involves evaluations of self-worth. Your self-concept might include being quiet, argumentative, or serious. How you feel about these qualities determines your self-esteem.

Reflected appraisal

The process by which individuals form perceptions of themselves based on how others view and evaluate them. It is an important aspect of self-concept and self-esteem.

Reference Groups

Groups of people that influence an individual's beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors, serving as a standard for self-evaluation.

Obsolete Information

The effects of past failures in school or social relations can linger long after they have occurred, even though such events don’t predict failure in the future. Likewise, your past successes don’t guarantee future success.

Distorted Feedback

The remarks of overly critical parents, cruel classmates, uncaring teachers, excessively demanding employers, or even rude strangers can have a lasting effect. Other distorted messages are unrealistically positive. For instance, a child’s inflated ego may be based on the praise of doting parents, and a boss’s inflated ego may come from the overblown praise of fawning subordinates.

Self-fulfilling prophecy

A belief or expectation that influences behavior in a way that causes the belief to come true. It often occurs when an individual internalizes expectations set by others.

What is significant about Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson’s book Pygmalion in the Classroom

It discusses the self-fulfilling prophecy in educational settings, highlighting how teacher expectations can significantly impact student performance. The study demonstrated that when teachers were informed that certain students were expected to excel, those students often improved their academic performance, confirming the theory.

What are the two types of self-fulfilling prophecies?

First, your own expectations can influence your behavior.

Second, one person’s expressed expectations can affect another’s behavior.

True or False. Self-help gurus often advise followers to get in touch with their “true selves.” - this is an oversimplification.

True. It simplifies complex psychological concepts into a catchphrase, ignoring individual differences and nuances in personal growth. (A healthy self-concept is multifaceted)