THE SELF IN PSYCHOLOGY

Page 1: Introduction

  • Overview of the self in psychology.

Page 2: Gordon Gallup's Experiment (1970)

  • Notable experiment that explored aspects of self-awareness.

Page 3: The Sense of Self and Human Cognition - SCHEMA

  • Schemas encompass diverse areas:

    • History + time

    • Digital devices

    • Audio

    • Maps

    • Mind and body

    • Paper + text

    • Video + images

    • Spatial arrangements

Page 4: What is Schema?

  • A schema is defined as a cluster of inter-related concepts that help identify how things function in the world.

Page 5: Characteristics and Traits

  • Autentive, Thoughtful, Determined, Adventurous, Flexible, Understanding, etc.

    • Positive traits listed:

      • Loyal, Wise, Creative, Patient, Trusting, etc.

    • Traits encourage a diverse expression of individuality.

Page 6: Self Concept

  • Definition: The general term for how someone thinks about, evaluates, or perceives themselves.

Page 7: Lewis (1990)

  • Existential Self:

    • Fundamental awareness of being distinct from others, starting from 2-3 months.

    • Formed through interactions with the world.

  • Categorical Self:

    • Awareness of being an object with properties like age and gender.

    • Begins concrete categories in childhood; evolves to psychological traits.

Page 8: Self-Esteem Factors

  • Influences on self-esteem and self-worth:

    • Reactions of others

    • Comparisons with peers

    • Social roles

    • Identification

  • Definitions:

    • Self-esteem: confidence in one's worth or abilities.

    • Ideal-self: how one sees themselves.

Page 9: Argyle (2008) - Factors Influencing Self-Esteem

  1. Reaction of others

  2. Comparison with others

  3. Impact of social roles

  4. Identification with groups or roles

Page 10: Self Structure - Incongruence vs. Congruence

  • Incongruent Self:

    • Differences between self-image and ideal self.

  • Congruent Self:

    • Alignment between self-image and ideal self.

Page 11: Psychological Perspectives of the Self

  • Psychodynamic Perspective: Focus on unconscious processes and childhood.

  • Behaviorist Perspective: Behavior shaped by environmental interaction.

  • Cognitive Perspective: Focus on mental functions and processes.

  • Humanistic Perspective: Importance of self-actualization and growth.

  • Biological Perspective: Influence of biology on behavior.

  • Evolutionary Perspective: Psychological traits shaped by evolution.

Page 12: The Unconscious Mind (Freud)

  • Comparison of the mind to an iceberg:

    • Conscious: known mental activity.

    • Preconscious: accessible thoughts.

    • Unconscious: hidden thoughts and desires (e.g., fears, unacceptable urges).

Page 13: Behaviorism Defined

  • Psychology studied through observable actions.

  • Key concepts:

    • Operant Conditioning: Learning through consequences.

    • Classical Conditioning: Associating stimuli.

Page 14: Social Learning Theory

  1. Learning through observation is possible.

  2. Importance of mental states in learning.

  3. Not all learning results in behavior change.

Page 15: Cognitive Perspective

  • Focus on the encoding and manipulation of sensory information.

  • Examining mental processes that dictate output (behavior and emotion).

Page 16: Biological Perspective

  • Examines how biological processes influence psychological issues.

Page 17: Humanistic Perspective

  • Emphasizes fulfillment of human potential through:

    • Self-Actualization: Growth and personal development.

Page 18: Evolutionary Perspective

  • Investigates psychological mechanisms evolved to solve ancestral adaptive problems.

  • Typical research focuses on functionality and evolution of processes.

Page 19: The Self According to William James

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