LA 6: Self-concept and perception

self concept

the mental image that a person has about themselves; subjective mixture of conscious and unconscious thoughts, attitudes, and percetptions that a person has about their own identity

beliefs

our understanding of reality, including assumptions we have about the world; what we believe to be true, even without proof

values

principles or standards of behaviour that is considered valuable or important; central to an individual and gives meaning to life; influences what we believe is wring and right

attitudes

mental positions or feelings toward a person, object, or idea; often reflects our likes and dislikes, what is good or bad, and positive or negative

personal identity

an internal sense of individuality, wholeness and consistency of a person over time and in various circumstances; influenced by age, gender, sexuality, social class, ethnicity, and culture

body image

the perception we have about our own bodies, including size, appearance and functioning; affected by conscious and subconscious thought, and not always always consistent with a person’s actual physical structure or appearance

role performance

the way in which individuals percieve their ability to carry out significant roles; may be temporary (ex. student or patient) or permanent (ex child or parent role)

self esteem

an individual’s overall sense of self worth or the emotional appraisal of self concept; represents the overall judgement of personal worth or value

identity confusion

results when people do not maintain a clear, conosistent and continuous consciousness of personal identity

role conflict

results when a person simultaneously assumes two or more roles that are inconsistent, contradictory, or mutually exclusive

sick role

involves the expectations of other people and society about hoe a person should behave when sick

role ambiguity

involves unclear role expectations, resulting in people being unaware or unsure about what to do or how to behave

role strain

the stress or frustration experienced by individuals when behaviours, expectations, or obligations associated with a single social role are incompatible

role overload

involves having more roles or responsibilities within a role that are manageable

perception 

a process through which we interpret sensory information and whereby a person transofrms sensory data into a connected personalized understanding

bowlby’s attachment theory

suggests that the quality of the attachment that children develop with their caregivers influences the development of a set of expectations about the self, their interpretations of the actions of other people, and ideas about how to respond to them

bullying

physical, psychological, or verbal intimidation or atteck, or a combination of these meant to cause ditress, harm, or both to an intended victim

indicators of altered self concept

avoinding eye contact, slumped posture, unkempt appearance, overly apologetic, hesitant speech, overly critical or angry, frequent or inappropriate crying, etc.

cognition

the thinking processes that people use in making sense of the world

self efficacy

the belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations; a person’s belief in their ability to succeed in a particular situation

self management

the tasks and strategies that an individual carries out to live well with chronic health conditions

cultural values

values adopted through immersion in a certain social setting

values clarification

the process of appraising personal values by personal reflection; you make conscious decisions about which values are most important in your practice

values conflict

occurs when personal values are not congruent with those of a patient, colleague, or institution

trust vs mistrust

from birth to one year old; infant learns to trust others; “can I trust the world?”

autonomy vs sense of shame and doubt

1-3 years old; toddler learns to be independent and develops self coonfidence; “can I control my own behaviour?”

initiative vs guilt

3-6 years old; child learns to initiate their activities; “can I become independent of my parents and explore my limits?”

industry vs inferiority

6-11 years old; child develops sende of competence in physical, cognitive, and social areas; “can I master the skills necessary to survive and adapt?”

identity vs role confusion

12-18 years; trying out several roles and forming a unique identity; associated with dramatic physiological changes; “ who am I, and what are my feelings, beliefs, and values?”

intimacy vs isolation

18-35 years; primary task is to form close personal relationships; “can I give myself fully to another?”

generativity vs self absorption and stagnation

35-65 years; task is to help younger people; the ability to expand one’s personal and social involvement is crucial; “what can I offer to the succeeding generations?”

integrity vs despair

65 and older; reflection on life and feel satisfaction or disappointment; may also have internal struggles such as the meaning in life; “ has my life been worthwhile?”