Chapter 5: self concept and self processes

self concept

The image you have for yourself

4 main aspects

• material self

• Social self

• Spiritual self

• True self

The I and the me

William James: analysis of self (1891)

Who does the thinking and who is it the thinking is done about?

James concluded that “the thought itself is the thinker”

Self schema

Self concept is a cognitive representation of ones self

Similar to schemas in the way that its hard to change and helps interpret the world

Material self (aspects of self concept)

Part of the self is in the body

James : “innermost part of the material self is in the body”

Other parts of material self = clothes, physical possessions

Social self (aspects of self concept)

Part of the self in our social ties

Everyone’s conception of you is unique

Highlights different aspects of your personality.

Can influence how we behave - how we see ourselves in those moments

James : a person “has as many social selves as there are individuals who recognize him and carry an image of him in their mind”

High vs. Low self monitoring

Spiritual self (aspects of self concept)

Our inner moral self

Inner faculties and dispositions

What most people think of when they think of personality

Also encompasses spiritual beliefs

James : thought this aspect of us was also the self observer, the “I”

True self (aspects of self concept)

Who are you really at the core?

Individually determined - no real ‘recipe’ or definition of the true self

When do you feel like your truest self? Around certain people? Doing certain things?

The true self components

Measure of true self and authenticity of the self

4 components

• awareness

• Unbiased processing

• Behaviour

• Authentic relationships

Awareness (components of true self authenticity )

Your motives, strengths and weaknesses

Authentic individuals are aware of their strengths but also understand what they need to improve.

They also understand why they do things like eating too much after a stressful day at work or feeling ashamed after getting negative feedback.

Unbiased processing (components of true self authenticity)

The ability to see the good and the bad in the world and make decisions based on this information

Are you able to take information in an unbiased and realistic way?

Behaviour (components of true self authenticity)

Acting in a way that reflects your true self

Do your actions reflect your true motives, values and beliefs?

Authentic relationship (components of true self authenticity)

A relationship in which someone can be who they really are

Are you able to express your true authentic self with others? Authentic people seek authentic relationships

Self esteem

Attitudes toward yourself

Mot common assessment is - Rosenberg self esteem scale

Is it better to have high or low self esteem?

Low self esteem contributes to deeression and predicts depression over time

Reasonably high self esteem feels good, and leads people to initiate action (to do things)

But high self esteem does not cause high academic performance, better relationships or better work performance

But can correlate with these outcomes sometimes

Self esteem boosting

Does not improve performance but will improve self esteem

Implicit self esteem

Self esteem you are not aware of having

No outward knowledge of these evaluations

Explicit self esteem

Self esteem you are aware of having

The way you could answer the Rosenberg self esteem scale

Implicit Association Test (IAT)

How do we measure the self esteem we are not outwardly aware of?

Test relies on response time to indicate how we pair ourself with words

Given a word (joy, failure) match with either ME or NOT ME

Self enhancement

Desire to maintain and increase positive self concept

Self esteem regulation

Actions involved in maintaining high self esteem

Self Evaluation Maintenance Model (SEM)

Model suggests we can change any of these three things to help maintain self esteem in hard situations

3 key variables

• performance

• Relevance

• Closeness

SEM Model Example

You and your best friend both play the trumpet (Closeness)

You both want to join the local classical music orchestra which is well respected (relevance)

You do not make the cut, but your friend does and it hurts your self esteem (performance)

Self compassion (self evaluation)

Being kind to yourself

3 components

• self kindness

• Common humanity

• Mindfulness

Self efficacy (self evaluation)

The belief that you will be able to successfully achieve goals (different from self esteem driven thoughts)

Predicts performance to a degree - more on basic tasks then challenging ones

Self efficacy may not cause success, it may be a result

Narcissism (self evaluation)

Highly positive, sometimes grandiose, view of the self

2 kinds

• grandiose narcissism - stereotypical narcissism

• Vulnerable narcissism - less known

Score high on Extraversion and low on agreeableness

Grandiose narcissism

is associated with a more extraverted, socially bold, self-centered, egotistical, vain, and cocky personality. Grandiose narcissists focus on being better, smarter, or more attractive than others

High Extraversion and dominance - low neuroticism

Vulnerable narcissism

is linked to lower extraversion and assertiveness and more neuroticism, anxiety, and depression. Imagine someone living in his mom’s basement at age 30. He won’t take a job because he is too smart for all the jobs out there and nobody understands his brilliance.

Low Extraversion and dominance - high neuroticism

Self regulation

Trying to achieve goals

Includes two components

• possible selves

• Self control as a mental muscle

Possible selves

Who we could be

Desired selves vs, feared selves

Both linked to emotion and motivation

Ought selves vs. Ideal selves - self discrepancy theory

Discrepancy

Difference between who we are (actual self) and who we should or want to be (ought or ideal

Larger discrepancy - negative outcomes

Living up to possible selves - ought vs. Ideal

Self control

Achieving goals takes self control

Varies from person to person within our personalities - comes easier to some than others

Works like a muscle - more it is used the stronger it gets

Improving self control in one area improves it in other ways - ex: exercise routine leads to better study habits.

Can be worn out like a muscle as well- overuse in one day can mean less capacity later the same day

Improving self control

Set yourself up for success - stay away from the thing you are trying to avoid

Be careful when you’re tired or frustrated - self control is less when you feel this way

Use self control to make it stronger- exercise your self control on a regular basis and it will get stronger