Self Concept

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• Chapter 5
• Self Concept

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Self-Concept

• A multifaceted structure
• Self-concept is an organized collection of
  beliefs about the self.
• These beliefs are also called self-schemas and
  include personality traits, abilities, physical
  features, values, goals, social roles

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Figure 5.1
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Self-Concept

• Beliefs about self are not set in stone
• Neither are they easily changed
• People are strongly motivated to maintain a
  consistent view of self.
• More susceptible to change when moving from a
  familiar social setting to an unfamiliar one
  (e.g. college)

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Self-Discrepancies

• mismatches in how people view themselves and how
  they really are.
• Effects of self-discrepancies
• When actual self ideal self, we experience
  high self-esteem.
• When actual self lt ideal self, we feel
  dejected and sad.
• When actual self lt ought self, we feel
  irritable and guilty.

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Figure 5.2
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Self-Discrepancies

• People cope with self-discrepancies by
• Changing their behavior to bring it more in line
  with the ideal, or ought, self.
• Blunting self-awareness by
• Avoiding situations that increase self-awareness,
  or
• By using/abusing substances

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Factors Shaping the Self-Concept

• Festingers (1954) social comparison theory
  states that we compare ourselves with others in
  order to assess and/or improve our abilities.
• If we want to improve, we choose reference groups
  of superior quality, but
• If we want to bolster self-esteem, we choose
  inferior groups.

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Factors Shaping the Self-Concept

• Generally, our self-perceptions are distorted in
  a positive direction.
• Early in life, family members give primary
  feedback.
• As children age, peers become progressively more
  important.
• Later in life, close friends and marriage
  partners play dominant roles.

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Factors Shaping the Self-Concept

• Association b/w parents views of a child the
  childs self-concept
• Even stronger evidence for a relationship b/w
  childrens perceptions of their parents
  attitudes toward them their own self
  perceptions.
• Implication-childs perception is very important!!

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Factors Shaping the Self-Concept

• Mr. Clean/ Mr. Dirty study
• Subjects w/ impressive competitor showed a
  decrease in self-esteem
• Subjects w/ unimpressive competitor showed an
  increase in self-esteem
• SAT study
• 70 rated self as above average in leadership
  ability
• 2 rated self as below average
• 100 rated self as above average in ability to
  get along with others

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Factors Shaping the Self-Concept

• Cultural values and self-concept.
• In cultures that value individualism putting
  personal goals ahead of group goals, identity is
  defined more in terms of personal attributes.
• In cultures that value collectivism putting
  group goals ahead of personal goals, identity is
  defined more in terms of the groups one belongs
  to.

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Cultural values self-concept

• Individualistic cultures
• Independent view of self
• View themselves as unique, self-contained, and
  distinct from others.
• Collectivist cultures
• Interdependent view of self
• View themselves as more connected to others.