Chapter 15: The Self

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering Chapter 15: The Self, including the declarative self, self-esteem, self-schemas, self-efficacy, self-discrepancy theory, the procedural self, relational schemas, implicit selves, and the working self-concept.

According to the lecture notes, what is the definition of "the self"?

Everything we know (or think we know) about what we are like.

What are the two types into which self-knowledge can be divided?

Declarative knowledge (facts that can be stated verbally) and procedural knowledge (knowing how to do something, including skills, procedures, and processes).

How did William James explain the scope of the self?

The self includes more than just thoughts and traits; it encompasses our body, possessions, relationships, and place in the world, such that harm to something considered part of "me" (like a child or home) can feel as personal as being harmed ourselves.

What four key functions of the self are described by psychologist Richard Robins and colleagues?

1. Self-regulation (helps manage impulses and pursue long-term goals)
2. Information filter (guides attention and memory, sometimes enhancing self-esteem through mild distortions)
3. Relating to others (empathy and understanding stem from how we view ourselves)
4. Identity (anchors us in family, culture, and the social world through our "life story").

What two types of self-knowledge are included in the declarative self?

Self-esteem (overall judgment of your worth as good, bad, or in between) and trait-based self-knowledge (specific beliefs held about your traits and abilities, whether accurate or not).

How does sociometer theory explain low self-esteem?

It views low self-esteem as a danger signal resulting from social failure that serves as a warning about possible rejection.

What potential negative outcomes can occur from high self-esteem or extreme high self-esteem?

A person could self-enhance and become arrogant and abusive, and at an extreme level, it can lead to narcissism.

What is a self-schema?

A cognitive framework that contains all your beliefs and ideas about who you are, acting like a mental filing cabinet to organize self-relevant information and guide how quickly and confidently you process traits related to yourself.

What does it mean to be "schematic" for a specific trait?

It means you consider that trait central to your identity and process related information faster, acting like an "expert" in that domain (which boosts memory and efficiency, but may narrow perspective).

What do case studies of memory loss reveal about self-knowledge?

Even when specific memories are lost, people retain stable self-views, suggesting that self-knowledge can exist independently of autobiographical memory.

What is the self-reference effect?

The enhancement of long-term memory that occurs from thinking about how information being memorized relates to the self.

What is self-efficacy according to Bandura?

The belief in your own ability to perform a task or reach a goal, which shapes actions and determines whether you attempt tasks regardless of actual ability.

What is the core premise of self-discrepancy theory?

Individuals compare their "actual" self to internalized standards of two other selves (the ideal self and the ought self), and the gap (discrepancy) between them leads to negative emotions.

How does self-discrepancy theory define the actual self, ideal self, and ought self?

• Actual self: How someone believes they actually are (basic self-concept and perception of attributes). • Ideal self: How someone wants to be (hopes, aspirations, and wishes). • Ought self: How someone should be (representation of duty, obligations, and responsibilities).

What specific emotional consequences arise from a discrepancy between the actual self and the ideal self?

Sadness, disappointment, dissatisfaction, and self-dislike.

What specific emotional consequences arise from a discrepancy between the actual self and the ought self?

Fear, anxiety, personal inadequacy, and alienation.

Why do emotional reactions differ between actual-ideal discrepancies and actual-ought discrepancies?

The ideal self is reward-based (pursuing pleasures and rewards), so failures lead to sadness; whereas the ought self is punishment-based (avoiding bad events or punishments), so failures lead to anxiety.

What is the procedural self?

The patterns of behavior that express who you are without conscious awareness, rooted in procedural knowledge ("knowing how" rather than "knowing that") and learned through repetition and experience.

What is a relational self-schema (Baldwin, 1999)?

Ingrained, automatic ways of relating to important people based on past experiences developed early in childhood that shape interactions with others, especially those who resemble figures from early life.

What is transference in the context of relational selves?

Unconsciously applying old relationship dynamics to new people (for example, reacting to a boss like a parent).

How does the Implicit Association Test (IAT) measure implicit aspects of the self?

It tracks reaction times while participants quickly sort words into paired categories (e.g., "me" vs. "not me" with "good" vs. "bad"); faster responses for "me + good" indicate stronger implicit self-esteem.

What can a conflict between implicit and explicit self-esteem indicate?

Fragile self-worth, such as narcissism.

In research on shyness, what distinct behaviors were predicted by self-reports versus IAT results?

Self-reported shyness predicted controlled behaviors (such as how much someone talks), whereas IAT results predicted spontaneous signs (such as tense posture or nervous facial expressions).

What is the working self-concept (WSC)?

The highly activated, contextually sensitive portion of the self-concept that guides behavior on a moment-to-moment basis depending on where you are and who you are with.