Self-concept and self-presentation

Self-concept

a person’s belief about memories of, and interpretations of the self: can be conceived of both in general terms as well as in specific behavioral domains

The self

unified essence of a person that endures through time, that is responsible for thoughts and actions and that is the seat of our consciousness

The Who Am I? Task

attributes that are dominant/central in a person’s self concept tended to be 

Upward social comparison 

comparing ourselves to those who are better than we are on a particular trait (or in better circumstances) 

Downward social comparison

Comparing ourselves to those who are worse than we are on a particular trait (or in worse circumstances)

Self-enhancement

The motive to pursue, preserve, or amplify the positive of one’s self view, more so than the impartial benchmarks

Self-handicapping

Making choices or acting in ways in which sabotage our performance, thus making it possible to externalize failure or to internalize success

Self-protective motivation 

People expect to fail and are anxious about preserving an existing positive impression of themselves (self-protective motivation) 

Self-enhancing motivation

People expect to succeed and want to demonstrate success in spite of a handicap, thereby, amplifying impressions of their success

Self-verification

We sometimes want others to see us the way we see overselves (even when that encompasses negative aspects of ourselves)

Self-protection

The motive to eschew, restore, or lessen the negativity of one’s self views

Self-schemas

people’s beliefs and feelings about themselves, both in general and in particular kinds of situations

Hazel Markus’ theory

if self schemas exist, then a person who has a self-schema in a particular domain should process information in that domain more quickly, retrieve evidence consistent with the schema more rapidly, and readily reject information that contradicts the schema

Charles H. Cooley’s “looking-glass self” 

An idea that other people’s reactions to us (their approval or disapproval) serves as a mirror of sorts 

Markus and Wurf “working self-concept”

The idea that only a subset of a person’s vast pool of self-knowledge is brought to mind in any given context, usually the subset that is most relevant or appropriate in the current situation

Independent self-construal

The self is an autonomous entity that is distinct and separate from others (inward focus on the self)

Interdependent self-construals

the self is fundamentally connected to other people (outward focus)

Relational interdependent self-construal

Focused on viewing the self as connected to other individuals

Collective interdependent self-construal

Focused on viewing the self in relation to social groups or collectives

Social comparison theory

The theory maintains that when people have no objective standard by which to evaluate their traits or abilities, they do so largely by comparing themselves with others

Self-stereotyping

characterizing the self in terms of the traits, norms, and values associated with an especially salient or meaningful social group

State self-esteem 

dynamic, changeable self evaluations a person experiences as momentary feelings about the self

Leary’s sociometer hypothesis

self-esteem is internal, subjective index of how well we are regarded by others and hence how likely we are to be included or excluded by them

Taylor and Brown’s self knowledge theory

self-knowledge often includes positive illusions about the self and that such illusions, far from being detrimental, actually enhance well-being

Self-regulation 

process by which people initiate, alter, and control the behavior in pursuit of a goal 

Self-discrepancy theory

ideal and ought beliefs serve as self-guides, motivating people to regulate their behavior in order to close the gap between their actual self and their ideal and ought standards