uself (2)

• Sociological theories of the self:

  • Self-esteem is the belief that one is good and valuable to others
  • Self-esteem is related to personality traits like being boastful, timid, or shy
• 3 Principles of Self-Esteem:

  1. The Process of Interaction: a person observes others' behavior to gather information on how they are appraising him.

  2. Social Comparison: a person evaluates himself by comparing his performance, ability, or characteristics to others with similar traits.

  3. Personal Efficacy: a person believes he can overcome obstacles and achieve his goals
• Culture:

  • Defined by British Anthropologist Edward Taylor as a system of human behavior and thought
  • Kottak (2022) defines culture as a complex whole, including knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, law, custom, and capabilities acquired by individuals as members of society
• Cultural Influences That Shape the Self:

  • Material component: tangible materials inherited from previous generations
  • Cognitive culture: body of knowledge, skills, and capabilities passed down through generations
  • Normative component: standards of behavior governing relationships in society
• 2 Classifications of Normative Component:

  • Formal: written down with strict rules and punishments for offenders (e.g., laws)
  • Folkways: general rules of customary behavior in society (customs, traditions, greetings, fashion)
  • Mores: special folkways deemed necessary for society's welfare
• Mechanisms of Cultural Change:

  • Cultural change occurs as societies evolve over time
  • Cultural lag: persistence of cultural goals even when no longer needed
  • Cultural borrowing: adoption of another society's culture as part of one's own
• Attributes in Cultural Change:

  • Culture is learned and shared through a continuous learning process
  • Culture evolves from simple to complex, retaining old practices while adapting to new ones
  • Culture is universal but diverse in form
• Different Ways of Accepting Culture:

  • Ethnocentrism: belief in the superiority of one's own culture
  • Xenocentrism: belief in the superiority of another culture
  • Culture shock: disorientation when encountering a vastly different culture
• The Social Process of Culture:

  • Assimilation: embracing a new culture and replacing old practices
  • Acculturation: adopting a new culture without replacing existing practices
  • Amalgamation: blending two cultures to create a new one
• Guidelines for Preparing Effective Presentations:

  • Keep presentations simple and summarize main points
  • Use at least 24-font size and limit material to eight lines per slide
  • Present for 15-20 minutes, talk clearly, and avoid reading directly from slides
• The Five-Factor Model of Personality

  • Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism
• Provides a sense of purpose
• Environmental Factors of Personality


  • Surroundings including neighborhood, school, college, university, and workplace
• Determinants of Personality

  • Brain, Situational Factors, Cultural Factors
• Self-understanding


  Essential to understand behaviors and beliefs that affect ourselves and others, specifically in becoming effective and successful in life, work, and relationships
• Origin of the word "Personality"
• Personality plays a key role in affecting how people shape their lives, cope and adjust through life, and respond to demands of physical and social challenges
• Helps harness natural strength
• Importance of having self-understanding
• Promotes confidence
• Leads to healthier relationships
• Personality is a relatively permanent trait and unique characteristics that give both consistency and individuality to a person's behavior
• Personality is the overall pattern or integration of a person's structure, modes of behavior, attitudes, aptitudes, interests, intellectual abilities, and many other distinguishable personality traits
• Personality traits reflect people's characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
• Biological Factors of Personality

  • Hereditary factors or genetic make-up, physical features like height, weight, color, sex, beauty, and body language
• The relational self is defined by our relationships with significant others


  Examples include siblings, friends, and spouses
• Understanding what your motives are when you act is called self-understanding
• As people age, self-perceptions become much more detailed and organized as people form a better idea of who they are
• Self-concept tends to be more malleable when people are younger and still going through the process of self-discovery and identity formation
• Self-Concept


  Our individual perceptions of our behavior, abilities, and unique characteristics—a mental picture of who you are as a person
• Beliefs such as "I am a good friend" or "I am a kind person" are part of an overall self-concept
• The collective self reflects our membership in social groups


  Examples include British, Republican, African-American, or gay
• Understanding of who you are as a person is called self-concept
• The individual self consists of attributes and personality traits that differentiate us from other individuals


  Examples include introversion or extroversion