Ch 1 Values and Self Belief

Life Management

  • Definition: A system where a person’s values, goals, and standards guide their resources through daily decisions and purposeful actions aimed at improving life quality for oneself and others (Rice and Tucker, 1986).

Values & Attitudes

  • Values: Principles guiding behavior. Types include:

    • Absolute & Relative

    • Intrinsic & Extrinsic

    • Traditional, Personal & Professional

    • Instrumental & Terminal

  • Attitudes: Outlooks or opinions reflecting values, help in evaluation, or demonstrate feelings. They signify states of mind, likes, and dislikes.

Value Formation

  • Values are formed in early life stages. Sources of values include:

    • Family

    • Religion

    • Culture

    • School

    • Peers

    • Media & Advertising

Standards in Life Management

  • Purpose: Standards connect values with goals.

  • Example:

    • Value: Cleanliness

    • Goal: Keep room clean

    • Standard: Define cleanliness level.

  • Types of Standards:

    • Conventional: Traditional and community-accepted

    • Flexible: Adjustable, offering more choice

    • Individual: Based on individual family needs and interests

Classroom Activity: "What’s in Your Wallet?"

  • Group task to explore personal values through items carried by individual students.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

  • A model by Abraham Maslow depicting human motivation through need fulfillment:

    • Physiological Needs

    • Safety Needs

    • Love and Belonging

    • Esteem

    • Self-actualization

Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

  • Definition: The ability to understand and manage emotions in oneself and others.

  • Components:

    • Self Awareness

    • Self Regulation

    • Empathy

    • Social Skills

  • Impacts: Influences daily life, behavior, relationships, decision-making, stress relief, and conflict resolution.

Marshmallow Test

  • Conducted in 1970 at Stanford University, assessing self-control in children.

  • Results showed long-term benefits for those who exhibited self-control in tasks, linking it to lower legal troubles, higher SAT scores, and fewer children later on.

Personal Competence

  1. Self-Awareness: Recognizing and understanding one’s emotions and drives, and understanding their effects on others.

    • Evaluates feelings, values, and strengths, aiding in goal achievement.

  2. Self-Management: Using emotional awareness for positive behavior guidance.

    • Regulates emotions to handle stress and impulsive behavior effectively.

Social Competence

  • Social Awareness: Recognizing others' emotions and perspectives, demonstrating empathy.

  • Relationship Management: Building and maintaining supportive relationships while managing conflicts effectively.

Self-Esteem

  • Definition: Self-perception influenced by positive and negative experiences, reflecting strengths and weaknesses.

  • Important for happiness and success, affecting how individuals perceive themselves and their interactions with others.

Self-Sabotaging Behaviors & Emotional Intelligence

  • Individuals with high EQ can identify and manage self-sabotaging thoughts and behaviors (e.g., procrastination, substance abuse).

The Amygdala

  • An emotional brain part handling fight or flight responses, storing emotional memories.

  • Amygdala Hijack: Occurs when emotions overwhelm rational thinking, leading to irrational responses due to stress hormones.

Mindset Types

  1. Fixed Mindset:

    • Believes abilities are static and challenges are avoided.

  2. Flexible Mindset:

    • Believes abilities can be developed, welcomes challenges, and learns from failures.

E + R = O (Event + Response = Outcome)

  • Emphasizes the importance of response to any situation to alter outcomes.

Victim vs. Creator Mindset

  • Victim Mindset: Lacks responsibility, believes in external control.

  • Creator Mindset: Accepts responsibility and understands personal agency in shaping life experiences.

Language and Self-Talk

  • Victim Language:

    • Focuses on weaknesses, excuses, and comparing unfavorably with others.

  • Creator Language:

    • Positively focused on strengths, solutions, and accepting responsibility.

Locus of Control

  • Internal Locus of Control: Believes I can influence my future.

  • External Locus of Control: Feels powerless, that life events happen to them without control.