the self

• Self


  The cognitive and affective representation of one's identity or the subject of experience
• Functions of the Self

  • Behavioural: Self presentation and self expression, Setting and pursuing goals
  • Cognitive: Self concept, Self schemas, Attention, memory and recall, Social comparison
  • Affective: Emotional response, Self esteem, Regulation of emotions
• William James


  Described the basic duality of our perception of self: the "known" or "me" and the "knower" or "I"
• Charles Cooley


  Saw the self as a looking-glass or reflective self, formed from the reaction of other people
• George Herbert Mead


  Saw the self as emerging within a social context, with the "I" as the active spontaneous part and the "Me" developing through interaction with others
• Self-recognition


  Develops at around age 2, but self-concept becomes more complex as we develop self knowledge
• Sources of self-knowledge


  1. Introspection

  2. Self-perception

  3. Feedback from others

  4. Social comparisons

  5. Socialization
• Fundamental attribution error


  When we attribute others' behaviours to dispositional factors and underestimate situational factors
• Actor-observer bias


  We attribute our own behaviour to situational factors and others' behaviour to dispositional factors
• Salience


  When something stands out from its background or is the focus of attention
• Autobiographical memory


  Memory of oneself from the past, compared to the present view of oneself
• Possible selves


  Image of how the self might be in the future, "dreaded" or "desired"
• Self-serving bias


  Attributing positive events to internal factors and negative events to external factors
• Above average effect


  Tendency to rate self as above the average on most positive social attributes
• Positive illusions


  Beliefs we hold about ourselves that are not entirely accurate
• Social Identity Theory


  Addresses how we respond when our group identity is salient
• Personal Identity


  Thinking of ourselves primarily as individuals, how we are different from the group
• Social Identity


  Thinking of ourselves as members of specific social groups, how we are similar to the group
• Self Esteem


  Evaluation of the self along a positive-negative continuum, overall attitude toward the self
• Implicit self-esteem


  Automatic evaluations about the self of which we are not consciously aware
• Explicit self esteem


  Conscious evaluations, beliefs, and feelings that individuals have about themselves
• Self Concept

  Composite ideas, feelings and attitudes that a person has about his own identity, worth, capabilities and limitations
• Actual self

  Your representation of the attributes that you believe you actually possess at the present moment
• Ought self

  Your representation of the attributes that you believe you should or ought to possess (sense of duty, external expectations, social norms)
• Ideal self

  Your representation of the attributes that you would ideally like to possess (hopes, aspirations, wishes)
• Self-presentation


  The attempt to control self-relevant images before real or imagined others
• Self-Presentation Tactics


  • Ingratiation
  • Intimidation
  • Self-promotion
  • Exemplification
  • Supplication
  • Self-verification
  • Self-deprecation