Psychology Chapter on Self-Perception

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Questions and Answers

How do parents' attitudes towards their children influence the children's self-perception?

Children often misinterpret parents' attitudes, leading to distorted self-perceptions.

Children's self-perceptions are directly linked to their parents' views. (correct)

Parents' attitudes are only relevant during early childhood.

Parents' attitudes have little to no effect on self-perception.

Which of the following best describes the concept of individualism?

Valuing group success over personal achievements.

Focusing on cooperative efforts within a family unit.

Prioritizing personal goals and self-reliance. (correct)

Defining one's identity through community and group memberships.

What is a characteristic of collectivism?

Encourages obedience and reliability among individuals. (correct)

Promotes competition and individual success.

Defines identity based on personal achievements.

Emphasizes independence and self-reliance.

How do individuals evaluate others' judgment about themselves when they have access to 'objective' information like grades?

Their perceptions are less influenced by others' judgments. Signup and view all the answers

In which way might people misjudge how specific individuals evaluate them?

They usually are better at guessing general perceptions than specific ones. Signup and view all the answers

Which strategy can individuals use to address self-discrepancies when they cannot meet their ideal standards?

Lower their ideal standards to align with their actual abilities Signup and view all the answers

What is one method mentioned for reducing self-awareness?

Consuming alcohol to numb self-perceptions Signup and view all the answers

In a study, what was the reaction of high self-awareness participants who received negative feedback on their test performance?

They increased their alcohol consumption Signup and view all the answers

What role does the discrepancy between actual self and ideal self play in self-esteem?

It can lead to negative emotions and lowered self-esteem Signup and view all the answers

What is a common outcome for alcoholics who experience negative life events and possess high self-awareness?

They experience quicker and more complete relapses Signup and view all the answers

Which method is considered the most effective for building self-efficacy?

Mastery experiences Signup and view all the answers

What role do mistakes play in the development of self-efficacy?

Learning to handle mistakes is essential for gaining self-efficacy. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT one of the four sources of self-efficacy proposed by Bandura?

Emotional intelligence Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to choose successful role models for vicarious experiences?

They can undermine self-efficacy if they fail. Signup and view all the answers

What is a limitation of using persuasion and encouragement to build self-efficacy?

It is less effective than vicarious experiences. Signup and view all the answers

What does self-verification theory primarily suggest about feedback preferences?

Those with a positive self-view prefer consistent positive feedback. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of self-handicapping?

Deliberately not studying for a test to blame poor results. Signup and view all the answers

How do cultural differences impact self-enhancement according to the content?

Western cultures exhibit a more pronounced self-enhancement than Eastern cultures. Signup and view all the answers

Which motive allows for flexibility in making self-evaluations according to the discussed content?

Self-enhancement Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of 'basking in reflected glory'?

Sharing affiliations with successful groups or individuals. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

The Self and Its Development

Carl Rogers viewed personality as a single construct, the self-concept.
The self-concept is a collection of beliefs about one's own nature, unique qualities, and typical behaviour.
Self-concept includes beliefs such as "I am easy-going," "I am intelligent," or "I am hardworking."
The self-concept is an organised collection of beliefs (self-schemas) about the self, developed from past experiences.
Self-schemas encompass personality traits, abilities, physical features, values, goals, and social roles.
These schemas are characterised by distinct thoughts and feelings, and include both strengths and weaknesses.

Hazel Markus and the Working Self-Concept

Contemporary psychologists believe that only a portion of the total self-concept operates at any one time. This is called the working self-concept.
Self-schemas have a dynamic quality and play an important role in processing self-relevant information.
When a particular self-schema is operating, its associated thoughts and feelings strongly influence how people process information about that aspect of the self.

Possible Selves

Markus proposed the concept of possible selves—conceptions about the kind of person one might become in the future.
Possible selves are developed from past experiences, current behaviours, and future expectations.
They motivate people to practice goal-related skills and envision desired future goals.
Possible selves can be positive or negative, reflecting aspirations and fears.

Higgins: Self-Discrepancy Theory

Some people perceive themselves as they would ideally like to be (ideal self) or ought to be(ought self).
Differences between the actual self and either the ideal or ought self are called self-discrepancies.
Such discrepancies can lead to negative emotions such as sadness and disappointment.
Individuals have several sets of self-perceptions, including actual self, ideal self and ought self.
These differing self-perceptions are central to self-discrepancy theory.

Self-Discrepancies and their Effects

People experience high self-esteem when they meet personal standards (ideal or ought selves).
Discrepancies between actual and ideal selves often lead to dejection-related emotions.
Research demonstrates associations between self-discrepancies, actual/ideal body image and eating disorders.

Coping with Self-Discrepancy

People use various strategies to manage self-discrepancies. Examples include changing behaviour in line with personal standards, choosing situations that reduce self-awareness (e.g., using alcohol)
The amount of discrepancy, level of awareness, and importance of the discrepancy influence how people cope.

Factors Shaping the Self-Concept

Self-concept is shaped by various factors—personal observations, feedback, and cultural values.
Individuals often compare themselves to others in reference groups to understand their abilities and opinions (social comparison theory)

Subjectivity in Self-Evaluation

People tend to view themselves in a positive light, often overestimating their abilities and qualities.
They use various strategies to protect their self-esteem when faced with negative feedback or challenges.

Feedback from Others

The self-concept is significantly shaped by feedback from other people, especially early in life from parents and other significant others.
More generally, people are aware that their self-perceptions can be influenced by others’ opinions.

Cultural Values

Cultural values shape self-concepts.
Differences in cultural emphasis on individualism versus collectivism affect self-conceptions.

Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is the evaluative component of the self-concept. It refers to how people regard their overall worth as a person.
Self-esteem can be relatively stable, although daily events can cause fluctuations.
Self-esteem is difficult to measure accurately because individuals often hold unrealistically positive views of themself.

Self-Regulation

People actively manage their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours to reach personal goals (self-regulation).
Self-efficacy—a belief that one can succeed—is important for self-regulation and persistence toward goals.

Self-Presentation

Public self is how you want others to see you, which may or may not align with your self-concept.
Individuals often engage in impression management—conscious efforts to present an ideal positive impression to others.
Presentation, therefore, is how a person manages to create a favourable picture of themselves in social settings to influence others' thoughts or reactions.

Self-Attributions

Self-attributions are inferences individuals make about causes of their behaviour.
People tend towards internal (personal factors) or external (environmental factors) attributions.
Internal-external attributions can influence their personal well-being, emotional state, mood and how they deal with events.
Internal stability can lead to depression.

Self-Monitoring

People vary in their awareness of how they are perceived by others.
Self-monitoring refers to the degree to which individuals attend to and control impressions they make on others.
High self-monitors are highly attentive to others' reactions and adapt their behaviours to align with expectations, whereas low self-monitors are less concerned with others' impressions.

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Description

This quiz explores the impact of parental attitudes and individualism on children's self-perception, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. It also addresses how self-awareness and social judgments influence individual behavior and mental health. Engage with thought-provoking questions that dive deep into psychological concepts and research findings.