The Social Self

The Self-Concept

• Self-Concept: The sum total of beliefs ( ) that people have about themselves.

Beginnings of the Self-Concept

• Except for human beings, only the great apes seem capable of self-recognition.

• Self-recognition is an important first step in the development of a self-concept.

• Social factors influence development of a self-concept.

Source #1: Introspection

• Self-knowledge through looking inward at one’s own thoughts and feelings.

• But does introspection always lead to accurate self-knowledge?

Other Problems With Introspection

•

• Affective Forecasting

• “Durability bias.”

Source #2: Perceptions of Our
Own Behavior

• Daryl Bem (1972): People can learn about themselves simply by watching their own behavior.

• Self-Perception Theory: When internal cues are difficult to interpret, people gain insight by observing their own behavior.

• Facial Feedback Hypothesis:

• Intrinsic versus Extrinsic Motivation.

• Intrinsic Motivation:

• Extrinsic Motivation:

• What happens to intrinsic motivation once a reward is no longer available?

Source #3: Influences of Other People

• The self is “relative.”

• We define ourselves in part by using others as a benchmark.

• Social Comparison Theory:

• Can others help determine our emotions?

• Two-factor theory of emotion

Source #4: Autobiographical Memories

• Essential for a coherent self-concept.

• Typically report more events from the recent than the distant past.

• Exceptions to this recency rule?

Figure 3.2: Distortions in Memory of High School Grades

Source #5: Cultural Perspectives

• Self-concept is also influenced by cultural factors.

• Contrasting cultural orientations:

• Individualism:

• Collectivism:

Self-Esteem

• Positive versus negative self-image

Self-Esteem: Influences of Gender, Race, and Culture

• Like individuals, social and cultural groups differ in their self-esteem.

• Gender differences?

• Racial differences?

Self-Esteem

• Self-Discrepancy Theory:

• Self-esteem depends on a number of factors:

• Amount of discrepancy between actual self and standards you have for yourself

• The importance of the discrepancy to the self.

• The extent to which one focuses on one’s self-discrepancies.

Self-Esteem

• Narcissism

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Shyness

Ironic Processes

• Wegner (1994): Sometimes the harder we try to inhibit a thought, feeling, or behavior, the less likely we are to succeed.

Enhancing Self-Esteem

Names and Self-Perception

• Why might parents give a child an unusual name?

• Disadvantages?

Method #1: Self-Serving Cognitions

• People tend to take credit for success and distance themselves from failure.

Method 2: Making Excuses

• Self-Handicapping: Behaviors designed to sabotage one’s own performance in order to provide a subsequent excuse for failure.

- gender differences

• Sandbagging

• Procrastination

Why Self-Handicap?

Method #3: Basking in the Glory
of Others

Method #4: Downward Social Comparison

• When self-esteem is at stake, tend to make comparisons with others who are worse off.

• Will make temporal comparisons between past and present selves.

Self-Presentation

• The process by which we try to shape what others think of us and what we think of ourselves.

• Two types of self-presentation, each serving a different motive:

• Strategic self-presentation.

-ingratiation

-self-promotion

• Self-verification.

Epilogue: The Multifaceted Self

• Historically, the self has been viewed as an enduring aspect of personality

• Stable over time and slow to change.

• But at least part of the self is malleable.

• Molded by life experiences.

• Varies from one situation to the next.

• Self is complex and multifaceted,
not simple.