William James (1890)I – self as knower, experiencer, present tense, story teller

Vs.Me – self as known, experienced, past tense, story

Basic Concepts

Components of Me:Physical – awareness of appearance Social – awareness of others’ perceptionsSpiritual – awareness of qualities, attributes

Me – Self Concept

Elephant self awareness

Organized set of constructs pertaining to ones self◦Research emphasis is on processing

information

Self-schema

FredAthletic

masculine

Jogs

Tennisbeer

No quiche

Pizza

Republicans

Personality and the Self

Basic Issues and Processes

Effects◦Perceptions of others Use central traits in perceiving others

◦Self memory Recall schema-consistent behaviors

◦Depression Enhanced memory negative self-relevant information

Self schema

Derry & Kuiper – Memory for depressed/neutral content

Hospitalized Hospitalized Non- Depressed Non-depressed Depressed

Depressed .41 .18 .08Neutral .10 .36 .43

Cause or effect?Depressed biased or realistic?

Self-schema and Depression

Different from self-concept?

Evaluation of attributes multiplied by their importance.

Rosenberg Self-Esteem ScaleMean = 29.7; Quartiles = 27/35

Self-Esteem

Stable or Unstable?

◦Individual Differences – Narcissism Implicit – Explicit self esteem divergence

◦Self complexity – More facets – more stable high self-complexity can be a buffer for

the effects of stress (stress-illness correlation smaller for high self-complexity)

Self Esteem Issues

Does high self esteem have positive benefits?◦California self esteem funding

Academic?

Self Esteem Issues

Crime?

Risky behaviors (drugs, etc.)?

High self esteem

Interpersonal relations?

Job performance?

High self esteem

Subjective Well Being (Happiness)

DepressionStrong negative correlationBeck Depression Inventory (BDI)

Median = 7. Mild: 15-20; Moderate: 21-32

SE – BDI correlation: r = -.5

High Self esteem

Why SE – Depression relationship?

Self esteem as bufferAdaptability of positive illusions (Taylor

& Brown)

self-appraisals match the appraisals of others

fewer self-serving attributions for success or failures

Self Esteem and Depression

Self-discrepancy theory (Higgins); relationship due to real-ideal discrepancy

Real Self Ideal Self – who we would like to

be (hopes, wishes, dreams) Ought self – who we should be

(duty, responsibility, obligation)

Self-Esteem and Depression

◦failure to live up to:

Self-discrepancy theory

oughtsown - guilt

others - shame

anxiety

idealsown -

disappointment

others - lack of pride

depression

Major Cultural Dimension (transmitted):

Individualism – Individuals’ goals have priority

Vs.

Collectivism – Groups’ goals have priority

Self and Culture

Individualism = Independent self

Collectivism = interdependent self

Self and Culture

Self

FriendFriend

Mother

Self

FriendFriend

Mother

Cultural Differences in Self Reflected in Language:◦ Independent/individualist:

1st person singular pronoun Non pro-drop (pronouns usually required) Family name last

◦ Interdependent/collectivist: Pronouns marked for relationship Pro-drop (pronouns optional) Family name first

Self and Culture

Selected Manifestations of Cultural Differences in Self:

Imaging (Zhu et al.): MPFC activated for judgments of self/mother for Chinese

Fundamental Attribution Error – Independent self focus on dispositions

Locus of Control – Independent self and internal locus of control

Self and Culture

How and When does Self-Concept Develop?◦ Awareness of Physical Self at 18-24 mos.

Development as Social Process (Mead)◦Reciprocal Role-Taking

Imagine how perceived by others (social me) Some feedback but misinterpretations possible

Generalized Other: Me = sense of how perceived by people in general

◦Self concept dependent on others

Development of Self (Me)

Evidence for Self as Social Construct◦ Humans/chimps raised in isolation

◦ Myamoto & Dornbush Collect ratings of:

Beliefs about how perceived by specific others (e.g. other frat. members)

Beliefs about how perceived by people in general How one is actually perceived by others (other frat.

members) Self ratings

Development of Self (Me)

Evidence for Self as Social Construct◦ Mere presence (Morse & Gergen):◦ Male Ps apply for job◦ Complete application forms including self esteem measure◦ Another job applicant (confederate) enters◦ Mr. Clean:

self esteem drops

Mr. Dirty:

self esteem increases

◦ Social comparison and Instability

Development of Self (Me)

Entirely Dependent on Others? Strategies for Lessening Influence of Others:

◦ Choose with whom to interact Prefer self-consistent or positive feedback?

◦ Choose with whom to compare Downward social comparison

◦ Behavioral Confirmation Swan study:

Dominant and submissive Ps given contradictory feedback

Act to confirm self view

Development of Self

Ervin Goffman (self-presentation/impression management)

Act so as to convey desired image (Behavioral Confirmation)

Personality = performance (no internal traits)◦ “All the worlds a stage,◦ And all the men and women merely players”

Self influenced by others’ perceptions; but actively strive to influence others’ perceptions

Self Presentation

Everything we do carries identity implications (can be used in impression formation)

◦ Choices regarding personal appearance, room appearance, consumer products, etc. Gosling and Music choices:

Blues, jazz, classical and folk: "reflective and complex" Heavy metal and alternative: "intense and rebellious“ rap/hip-hop, soul/funk: "energetic and rhythmic”

◦ Cannot not communicate◦ Social media – Extreme self-presentation?

Image presented on Facebook real or ideal?

Goffman’s Theory of Self Presentation

People take implications into account in order to convey a particular image

◦ Habitual/automatic and Conscious/deliberate

◦ Always self presenting? Exceptions?

◦ Positive images only? Braginsky, Braginsky, & Ring

Schizophrenia and self-presentation Interview for release or backward

Goffman’s Theory of Self Presentation