UTS

Understanding the Self

The I-Self and Me-Self

  • William James (Father of American Psychology) introduced the I-Self and Me-Self as two elements of the self.

    • I-Self: The subjective, active self or "doer." It is aware of its actions and experiences.

    • Me-Self: The objective self, which includes characteristics that can be described (e.g., physical traits, thoughts, relationships).

I-Self and Its Features

  1. Agency – The sense of being the agent or initiator of behavior and believing one's actions have an impact.

  2. Continuity – The belief that one remains the same person over time.

  3. Self-Awareness – Understanding and being aware of one's thoughts and surroundings.

  4. Uniqueness – Awareness of how one is different from the environment.

Me-Self and Its Dimensions

  1. Material Self – Includes one's physical appearance and possessions (e.g., clothing).

  2. Spiritual Self – Involves personality, character, values, and beliefs.

  3. Social Self – Refers to social roles, skills, and relationships with others.

Real and Ideal Self

  • Carl Rogers distinguished between the real self and ideal self:

    • Real Self: Who you are in reality, how you act and think in a given moment.

    • Ideal Self: Who you aspire to be – your vision of your "best" self.

  • Congruence: When the real and ideal selves are aligned, it leads to inner peace and self-worth.

  • Incongruence: A misalignment between the real and ideal selves, leading to maladjustment and dissatisfaction.

Karen Horney’s Psychoanalytic Social Theory

  • Horney believed that social and cultural influences, especially childhood experiences, shape personality.

  • When love and affection are lacking during childhood, individuals may develop basic hostility and experience basic anxiety.

Three Ways of Relating to Others (Coping Styles)

  1. Moving Toward People – Seeking approval and affection.

  2. Moving Against People – Seeking power and control over others.

  3. Moving Away from People – Withdrawing from relationships to avoid anxiety.

Neurotic Needs (Horney identified 10 neurotic needs):

  1. Need for Affection and Approval

  2. Need for a Powerful Partner

  3. Need to Live Within Narrow Boundaries

  4. Need for Power

  5. Need to Exploit Others

  6. Need for Social Recognition and Prestige

  7. Need for Personal Admiration

  8. Need for Ambition and Achievement

  9. Need for Self-Sufficiency

  10. Need for Perfection and Unassailability

Horney’s Real Self vs. Ideal Self

  • Real Self: Represents one's innate potential that can flourish in a nurturing environment.

  • Ideal Self: An unrealistic self-image that can lead to a despised self if expectations are not met.

  • Despised Self: The feeling of worthlessness when one fails to live up to their ideal self.

Multiple and Unified Selves

  • David Lester suggested that people develop multiple selves to manage different experiences and emotions.

    • Unified Self: The integration of these subselves into a single, coherent identity.

Differentiated Models of the Self

  • Murray Bowen introduced the concept of differentiation – the ability to separate emotional and intellectual selves.

    • Solid Self: A person with strong intellectual control over emotions, able to stand by their principles.

    • Pseudo Self: A person whose reactions are primarily driven by emotions and external expectations.

The Self as Proactive and Agentic

  • Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory highlights how personality develops through the interaction of behavioral, cognitive, and environmental factors.

  • Proactive Self: The ability to anticipate and plan for future needs.

  • Agentic Self: The capacity to intentionally influence one’s actions and circumstances.

  • He established the Bobo Doll experiment that shows that children are mimicking or copying the doings of the adults.

Properties of Human Agency

  1. Intentionality – Planning and acting with purpose.

  2. Forethought – Anticipating future events and preparing for them.

  3. Self-Reactiveness – Developing systems of behavior to adapt to challenges.

  4. Self-Reflectiveness – Learning from experiences and evaluating one’s actions.

True Self vs. False Self

  • D.W. Winnicott introduced the concepts of true self and false self.

    • True Self: Represents the spontaneous, authentic self.

    • False Self: Acts as a mask or defense mechanism, often formed in response to early experiences.

Characteristics of False and True Selves

  • False Self:

    • A defensive mechanism developed from intrusive caregiving.

    • Can result in a healthy false self (connected to the true self) or an unhealthy false self (forced to fit societal expectations).

  • True Self:

    • Develops when caregivers are responsive to the child’s needs.

    • Leads to a stable self-image that integrates both positive and negative aspects of the self.