Psychology of Self-Assessment and Self-Esteem

Self-Assessment and Self-Verification

• People are naturally motivated to discover the truth about themselves, even if negative.
• Self-verification: People seek information that confirms their existing self-perceptions, especially those with low self-esteem. They actively look for negative feedback to validate their negative self-image.

Self-Enhancement

• People prioritize discovering positive information about themselves to maintain a positive self-image. This motive, often called self-enhancement, is linked to self-protection, preventing negative information from impacting self-worth.
• Self-enhancement is a general tendency; self-protection is initiated by specific events threatening self-worth.
• Self-affirmation theory suggests people strive to reinforce positive aspects of the self, whether explicitly (boasting) or subtly (rationalization). This is particularly true when self-esteem feels threatened.

Self-Esteem

• People tend to have a positive bias toward themselves, viewing their attributes in a favorable light.
• This is evident in low-achieving students often believing they are high performers.
• This bias is largely automatic, often referred to as "automatic egotism," especially when individuals feel threatened.

Sources of Threats to Self-Worth

• Failure (e.g., academic failure, relationship breakdowns).
• Inconsistencies (unforeseen positive or negative events that challenge self-perception).
• Stressors (ongoing challenges exceeding coping abilities).

Coping Mechanisms

• Escape: Physical removal from the threatening situation.
• Denial: Using substances to avoid confronting the issue.
• Downplaying: Re-evaluating the aspect of self threatened or self-affirming other aspects.
• Self-expression: Opening up about the issues verbally or in writing.
• Confrontation: Directly addressing the threat by challenging its validity.

Self-Esteem and Social Identity

• Positive social identities (e.g., membership in high-status groups) contribute to positive self-esteem.
• People in stigmatized groups develop mechanisms to avoid self-esteem damage through other strategies.
• Social comparison theory suggests different outcomes based on out-group comparison and status.
• For example, group identities based on race/ethnicity can influence self-esteem.
• Analyses should incorporate intragroup comparisons (e.g., "as an African-American, I feel...") rather than solely focusing on personal feelings..

Individual Differences

• Low self-esteem is associated with certain social and personal problems (e.g., criminal behavior, risky sexual behaviors).
• However, critics argue that low self-esteem may result from difficult or stressful environmental factors.
• Studies have also demonstrated aggression correlated with high self-esteem when threatened. This high self-esteem can lead to a variety of responses (quiet confidence to overt arrogance and narcissism).

Pursuit of Self-Esteem

• Self-esteem is influenced by the fear of death.
• Terror management theory: The fear of death is an extremely powerful motivational force. Individuals cope with this anxiety by emphasizing their cultural beliefs and a strong sense of self-worth. This anxiety-buffering mechanism develops through childhood and beyond across cultures.
• High self-esteem serves as a defense against anxiety about mortality.

Self-Esteem as a "Sociometer"

• Self-esteem is viewed as an indicator of social acceptance and belonging.
• The desire to establish and maintain social connections is a powerful motivator.
• This doesn't necessarily mean overcoming the fear of mortality, but rather mitigating the fear of loneliness.

Relative Driving Capabilities

• A study found a strong bias for individuals rating themselves as superior drivers. This bias is often present even when exposed to safety information.

Above Average Effect

• People tend to believe they are better than average in various domains. This cognitive bias includes self-enhancement in domains like driving.

Why Do We Have Self-Esteem?

• People generally want a positive view of themselves. This fundamental human motive is rooted in the desire for self-enhancement.
• Further evolutionary reasons may be that having a positive view of yourself is a survival trait

Existentialism, Absurdism, and the Fear of Death

• Existentialism highlights the human awareness of death and the apparent meaninglessness of life.
• Absurdism acknowledges the conflict between our inherent need for meaning and the universe’s perceived lack thereof.
• Terror Management Theory: The awareness of death is a major source of anxiety, and individuals use various cultural and personal defense mechanisms to counter this constant threat.

Split-Brain Patients and the Self

• Split-brain research has illuminated the possible distinct functions of each hemisphere of the brain in self-awareness and self-recognition.

Divisions of the Self

• Left hemisphere showed greater self-recognition in various tasks.
• Right hemisphere showed greater recognition of others. This suggests a specialization in each hemisphere for self/other recognition.

Narcissism

• Narcissists have inflated self-views, a need for admiration, a lack of empathy, and a highly unstable self-esteem. Such instability can lead to aggression when self-worth is threatened.

Link Between Self-Esteem and Depression

• Vulnerability hypothesis: Low self-esteem is a risk factor for depression.
• Scar hypothesis: Depression leads to lower self-esteem.

Brain Networks and Depression

• Default Mode Network (DMN): Highly active in people experiencing self-focused thinking and introspection leading to social isolation and self-criticism.
• Central Executive Network (CEN): Less active, resulting in decreased goal setting, emotional regulation, and planning.
• Salience Network (SN): Affected in individuals with depression, affecting the interaction between internal experiences and the external environment.

Drugs and the Self

• Depression, anxiety, and PTSD are common mental health concerns.
• There is continuing debate concerning the efficacy of contemporary psychiatric treatment.
• Psychedelics provide a potential new therapeutic approach.

MDMA

• MDMA, also known as ecstasy, has stimulant and hallucinogenic effects.
• It may induce feelings of euphoria and increased sociability and empathy and reduced anxiety.
• Potential side effects include heart stress, jaw clenching, insomnia, depression, and anxiety.
• Studies suggest MDMA-assisted therapy can positively impact PTSD symptoms; it was more effective than therapy alone.

Psilocybin

• Psilocybin has psychedelic effects, potentially leading to feelings of ego dissolution and increased self-awareness.
• Psilocybin-assisted therapy can improve depression symptoms more effectively compared to traditional antidepressants.
• This leads to an increased sense of interconnectedness and a reduced sense of self.

Finding the Self by Losing the Self

• Psychedelic therapies can promote feelings of ego dissolution, which paradoxically can foster self-awareness and a broader sense of connection with the world. Some research demonstrates decreased activity in areas associated with a negative or self-involved sense of self.

Sobriety and the Self

• Exercise, adventure, flow experiences, yoga, and meditation can lead to increased self-knowledge, self-awareness, and a sense of self-development.
• A key aspect of these activities involves relinquishing aspects of the ego and the self.

Flow Experiences

• Flow experiences occur when a task's challenge matches one's skills, leading to a deep sense of focus and immersion, accompanied by reduced self-consciousness.
• Flow states can be achieved through various activities, and are intrinsically rewarding.

Yoga and Meditation

• Yoga and mindfulness-based meditation foster self-discovery by promoting self-awareness and self-regulation.

Endurance Exercise

• Endurance exercise, such as running, can have profound psychological benefits including positive changes to thoughts, feelings, and actions for the better, including decreased depression and a greater sense of self-discovery.

This quiz explores the concepts of self-assessment, self-verification, and self-enhancement in psychology. Understand how individuals seek truth about themselves and the impact of self-esteem on self-perception. Test your knowledge on the dynamics of self-image and the psychological theories related to self-esteem.