Social Psychology: The Self

Social Psychology Notes

Chapter 4: The Self

The Cognitive Self: The Self-Concept

• Self-concept: A mental representation including beliefs about personality traits, physical characteristics, abilities, values, goals, and roles.
• Importance of Self-concept: Helps us understand our individual existence and identity.

Self-Schemas

• Definition: The stored knowledge structures about ourselves; they help make the self-concept more complex and abstract.
• Complex Selves: Some individuals possess a more complex self-concept with a variety of self-schemas.
• Benefits of Diverse Self-Schemas: They improve our reactions to experiences and events.

Self-Complexity

• Definition: The extent of having multiple, independent self-schemas.
• Effects of High Self-Complexity:
• Lower stress and illness (Kalthoff & Neimeyer, 1993)
• Greater tolerance for frustration (Gramzow et al., 2000)
• More positive reactions to experiences (Niedenthal et al., 1992)

Self-Awareness

• Definition: Our attention to our own self-concept.
• Consequences of Self-Awareness: High accessibility can lead to self-consciousness, especially when observed by others.
• Publicly induced self-awareness enhances self-consciousness.

Deindividuation

• Definition: Loss of self-awareness and accountability in groups.
• Example: Participation in large crowds or violent protests can diminish individual self-awareness.

Accessibility of Self-Concepts

• Accessibility varies, influencing individual interests and concerns.
• Types of Self-Consciousness:
• Private Self-Consciousness: Introspection about inner thoughts and feelings.
• Public Self-Consciousness: Focus on public image and meeting societal standards.

Cultural Influences on Self-Consciousness

• Collectivist cultures (e.g., East Asian) exhibit higher public self-consciousness compared to individualistic cultures (e.g., Western).
• Mirror Experiment: Reflection increases self-criticism in Western students but does not influence East Asian students.

The Feeling Self: Self-Esteem

• Definition: Our subjective evaluation of self-worth; can be high or low.
• Implicit Measures of Self-Esteem: Preferences for items associated with one’s name over others (implicit egoism).

Social Status and Self-Presentation

• High Social Status: Leads to positive self-esteem; can be influenced by successful self-presentation.
• Self-Monitoring: Ability to adapt behavior to fit social norms; high self-monitors adjust behaviors while low self-monitors act on personal attitudes.

Congruence in Self-Esteem

• Balance of Goals: High self-esteem vs accurate self-view; overinflated self-presentation can lead to long-term negative outcomes.

Rogers’ Self-Concept Theory

• Core of Personality: Self-concept influences happiness and alignment with the ideal self.

The Social Self: The Role of Social Situations

• Social Comparison: Learning about ourselves through comparisons with others:
• Downward Comparison: Boosts self-image through favorable contrasts.
• Upward Comparison: Evaluates self against better-off individuals.

Social Identity

• Definition: Positive emotions derived from group membership; reinforces self-concept.
• BIRGing (Basking in Reflected Glory): Enhancing self-esteem through association with successful ingroups.

Cultural Influences on Behavior

• Individualism vs Collectivism: Western cultures favor self-expression, whereas collectivist cultures focus on communal conformity.
• Cultural Preferences in Choices: Experiment indicated Western participants preferred unique items while East Asian participants opted for conventional choices.

Summary

• The self-concept is multifaceted and shaped by cognitive, emotional, and social influences. Understanding this interplay can enhance awareness of personal and societal behaviors.