GSELF | Psychological Self

Generated for Mid-Terms at Saint Louis University.

William James

Self, divided into the "I" and the "Me" self, or the knower and the known.

Karen Horney

• The self is made up of an Idealized and Real self that should be congruent.

• self is shaped by social and cultural influences, leading to a balance between the ideal self and the real self.

Carl Rogers

• There should also be a congruence in the Ideal and Real Self

• self is fundamentally positive and grows through experiences of unconditional positive regard, striving towards self-actualization.

Albert Bandura

• emphasized that humans are not just products of their environment but actively shape their own behavior and experiences through processes like observational learning and self-efficacy.

“Me” Self

a. The empirical self

b. Object of a thought or experience

c. The psychological phenomenon

d. Individual’s reflections about themselves

e. All the things (material, social, spiritual) that produce excitement (me-ness and mine-ness)

Dimensions of the Me Self

1. Material Self

2. Social Self

3. Spiritual Self

Material Self

• physical objects and cultural artifacts in which we own

Social Self

• significant interpersonal relations with human beings

Spiritual Self

• mental processes and content, personality, character and defining values

“I” Self

a. What people see or perceive themselves doing in the physical world

b. “Pure Ego” - thread of continuity between our past, present, and future selves

c. subjective experiences such as life history

d. referred to as the “soul” or “mind”

e. “the thinker” that does the thing

f. consciousness itself

Psychoanalysis

• good childhood experiences

Safety and Security

• leads to psychologically healthy individuals

Self Analysis and Self Help

• as a means of understanding one's inner conflicts and developing a healthier self, emphasizing that self-help can empower individuals to overcome neuroses through insight and personal growth.

Without Safety and Security

“Karen Horney”

i. Basic hostility arises, which means: anger/aggression towards parents, and then comes

ii. basic anxiety which are feelings of inadequacy and helplessness in a hostile world.

iii. Basic anxiety then leads to the idealized self which is the overly positive image of the self.

Idealized Self

i. imaginary picture of the self

ii. possessor of unlimited powers and superlative powers

iii. individual’s perfect reflections about themselves

Actualized Self

i. self-actualization is a goal of the self

ii. the person one actually is regardless of other’s perceptions

iii. despised because it fails to fulfill the requrements of the ideal self

Despised Self

i. negative view of the self

ii. lack of love and acceptance of others

iii. feelings of inferiority

iv. one’s true self is the one hated

Real Self

i. reveals once a person begins to shed various techniques to deal with basic anxiety

ii. a “force” for growth and self-realization

iii. inner core of personality

iv. own potential or who one truly is

Neurotic Person’s Self

(incongruence between the real self and idealized self)

Tyranny of the Shoulds

Search for Glory

Tyranny of the Shoulds

1. A flaw somewhere in comparison to what they "should" be.

2. Goals are not realistic, or even possible.

Search for Glory

1. feeling that it is despised by those around them and that this is their “real” or “true” self.

Neurotic Trends

1. Moving Towards People

2. Moving Against People

3. Moving Away from People

Moving Towards People

1. the need of affection and approval

2. the need of a partner

3. the need to restrict life within narrow borders

Moving Against People

1. the need for power

2. the need to exploit others

3. the need for social recognition

4. the need for admiration

5. the need for personal achievement

Moving Away from People

1. the need for self sufficiency

2. the need for perfection

Tendencies

• Formative Tendency

• Actualizing Tendency

Formative Tendency

• ability to grow from simple to complex organisms

Actualizing Tendency

• ability to reach one’s own potential

Subjective Experiences of the Person

• central to understanding an individual's behavior, suggesting that each person's perception of reality shapes their feelings, thoughts, and overall sense of self.

Real Self (Self Concept, Image, and Esteem)

one’s being and experiences perceived in awareness

Ideal Self

who you want to become in the future

Congruence of the Selves

• the harmony between an individual's self-concept and their actual experiences, fostering authenticity and psychological health.

Incongruence of the Selves

• the conflict between self-concept and lived experiences, which can lead to anxiety and psychological distress.

Overlap Requirements (Real and Ideal Self)

1. Congruence/Genuineness

2. Empathy

3. Unconditional Positive Regard

Congruence/Genuineness

1. being real and tru to ourselves

2. accepting your current real self and your future ideal self as one

Empathy

1. ability to recognize one and other’s feelings

Unconditional Positive Regard

1. unconditional acceptance of the self and of others

2. no conditions of worth

The Best Ways to Reach Congruence

i. A flexible self-concept

ii. Openness to experience

iii. The ability to live in harmony with others

iv. Unconditional regard for the self

Fully Functioning Person

• with high self-esteem and a congruent self-image

i. Openness to Experience

ii. Existential Living

iii. Trust Feelings

iv. Creativity

v. Fulfilled life

Human Agency

i. Essence of humanness

ii. Core Features

1. Intentionality

2. Forethought

3. Self-reactiveness

4. Self-reflectiveness

Essence of Humanness

• the power to influence their own actions and produce the desired consequences.

Intentionality

a. Humans are Aware

b. Change our plans continuously

Forethought

a. Humans can Predict

b. Anticipate the possible outcomes

Self-Reactiveness

a. Humans can Act

b. Regulate actions

Self-Reflectiveness

a. Humans can Think

b. Examine ourselves

Self-Efficacy

i. Adequacy

ii. Efficiency

iii. Competence

High Levels (Self-Efficacy)

deal effectively with events and situations

Low Levels (Self-Efficacy)

unable to exercise control over events/situations

Sources of Self-Efficacy

1. Performance Attainment

2. Vicarious Experience

3. Verbal Persuasions

4. Psychological and Emotional Arousal

Performance Attainment

Prior achievements of one’s level of competence

Vicarious Experience

Observing and witnessing the success of others

Verbal Persuasions

Verbal feedback and encouraging words (“WHO”)

Psychological and Emotional Arousal

More composed = Greater Self-Efficacy