Psychology Self-Schemas and Self-Concepts

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

Which concept suggests that our self-concept is influenced by how others perceive us?

Self-perception theory

Symbolic interaction (correct)

Self-schema

Social comparison theory

What type of social comparison involves comparing oneself to those perceived as better to enhance motivation?

Upward social comparison (correct)

Negative social comparison

Downward social comparison

Lateral social comparison

How do self-schemas contribute to our overall self-concept?

They are fixed and unchangeable over time.

They facilitate information processing and behavioral retrieval. (correct)

They create a static image of our self-concept.

They solely reflect external perceptions of ourselves.

Which theory suggests that we understand ourselves by observing our actions?

Self-perception theory Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary belief of the 'looking glass self' concept?

Self-concept is shaped by others’ reflections of us. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best captures the essence of self-schema?

It is a dynamic structure reflecting various contexts. Signup and view all the answers

What does objective self-awareness refer to?

A heightened focus on one’s own characteristics. Signup and view all the answers

In which situation would downward social comparison likely occur?

Assessing one’s own abilities compared to a less skilled peer. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary behavioral advantage of self-reference in cognitive tasks?

Faster response times Signup and view all the answers

What phenomenon allows a person to notice their name in an ignored auditory channel?

Cocktail party effect Signup and view all the answers

What does the fundamental attribution error imply about human judgment?

One tends to ignore situation-based causes for others' actions Signup and view all the answers

Which factor does NOT contribute to the fundamental attribution error?

Awareness of situational influences Signup and view all the answers

How did participants perform in attention tasks when they noticed their name in ignored input?

They made more errors Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary distinction between loneliness and solitude?

Solitude is often associated with personal growth, whereas loneliness is linked to negative feelings Signup and view all the answers

What cognitive technique was used in the ERP study to test memory advantages related to self-reference?

Self-related stimuli response speed Signup and view all the answers

What role does situational awareness play in mitigating the fundamental attribution error?

It helps reframe personal biases towards situational context Signup and view all the answers

In the surprise retrieval test after self-referential trials, what were participants asked to determine?

If previously presented adjectives were remembered Signup and view all the answers

Which component is involved in the tendency to attribute behaviors to personal characteristics rather than situational factors?

Inflated categorization Signup and view all the answers

What does self-discrepancy theory suggest about discrepancies between the actual self and the ideal self?

They signify the absence of positive outcomes and relate to dejection-related emotions. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of self-regulation according to Higgins (1987)?

To change behaviors or emotional responses in order to evolve into a desired future self. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately reflects the concept of public self-awareness?

It involves an understanding of how others perceive you. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of delay discounting, what does the term 'immediate reinforcement' refer to?

The preference for smaller rewards available now over larger rewards available later. Signup and view all the answers

What does the research by Shoda et al. suggest about delay of gratification in childhood?

It can predict aspects of self-regulatory behavior in later stages of life. Signup and view all the answers

What does the concept of ego depletion refer to?

The temporary decline in self-control after exerting self-control on other tasks. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of self-control does the theory of 'self-control as a muscle' illustrate?

The exertion of self-control can lead to fatigue and reduce future performance. Signup and view all the answers

What are 'hot' cues in the context of delay discounting and self-control?

Cues that invoke strong emotional responses, making it harder to delay gratification. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines the 'ideal self'?

The version of oneself that one aspires to become. Signup and view all the answers

Which system of regulatory focus is concerned with preventing failure and fulfilling obligations?

Prevention-focused regulation. Signup and view all the answers

What role does temporal discounting play in decision-making?

It illustrates a general preference for immediate rewards over later gains. Signup and view all the answers

What does private self-awareness primarily involve?

Recognition of one’s internal thoughts and feelings. Signup and view all the answers

According to Higgins' self-discrepancy theory, how does one primarily respond to a discrepancy between the actual self and the ought self?

By experiencing agitation-related emotions due to negative outcomes. Signup and view all the answers

What tends to happen when individuals enforce high levels of self-control during a task?

Their self-control resources may become temporarily depleted. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Self-Schemas

Self-schemas are cognitive structures representing knowledge about oneself.
Examples include "I am a girl," "I am funny."
Self-schemas vary in importance, across individuals, time, and context (Markus, 1997).
Different aspects of the self become more or less prominent in different situations.
Self-schemas contribute to self-concept, which is complex and dynamic.
They facilitate self-relevant information processing and contain readily accessible behavioral evidence.

Symbolic Interactionism

Self-concept arises and changes through social interactions.
Interactions at home, school, university, supermarket, etc., shape self-concept.

Looking-Glass Self

Self-concept is shaped by how others perceive us.
We see ourselves through the lens of others' perceptions.
This perspective suggests limited agency in altering self-concept beyond external perceptions.

We understand ourselves by comparing to others.
This comparison involves behaviors, attitudes, opinions, skills, and talents.
Downward comparisons might boost self-esteem.
Upward comparisons can be motivating but potentially harmful.

Self-Perception Theory

We learn about ourselves by observing our own actions.
Example: Judging one's academic abilities based on study habits.
Imagining behavior can alter self-perception.

Objective Self-Awareness (Self-Consciousness)

Self-awareness arises from self-focused stimuli like mirrors, photos, or videos.
It provides an honest, present-day understanding of oneself.
Self-awareness fosters comparisons between current and desired selves.
This awareness can be beneficial or stressful.
Duval & Wicklund (1972) have explored conditions under which self-consciousness emerges and functions.

Self-Discrepancy Theory

Actual Self: Who we are presently.
Ideal Self: Who we aspire to be.
Ought Self: Who we believe we should be.
Higgins (1987): We aim to reduce discrepancies between self-guides (ideal and ought) and our actual self.
Discrepancies with the ideal self link to dejection-related emotions.
Discrepancies with the ought self connect to agitation-related emotions
Self-regulation seeks to bridge these discrepancies.

Regulatory Focus Theory

Two systems for regulating behavior:
- Promotion focus (ideal self): Achieving aspirations.
- Prevention focus (ought self): Fulfilling obligations.
- Individuals exhibit either a promotion or prevention focus.

Public and Private Self-Awareness

Public self: How others see us (persona).
Private self: Inner thoughts, feelings, and attitudes (inner self).

Self-Control

Temporal Discounting: Preference for immediate rewards over delayed ones.
Individual variability exists in the propensity to choose immediate gratifications. Interrelated with impulsive behaviors and certain mental health disorders such as ADHD.
Instant Gratification & Self-Control: Studies have linked delay of gratification in childhood to later self-regulatory behavior and successful outcomes like SAT scores.
Inhibitory Control Task: Experiments found that individuals with low delay of gratification had more difficulty inhibiting responses to "hot" cues.
Self-Control as a Limited Resource: Self-control is a finite mental resource; exerting it depletes future self-regulation ability (ego depletion).
Ego Depletion: Straining self-control on one task impairs performance on subsequent, unrelated tasks. Studies have demonstrated this through tasks involving food choices, emotional suppression, and decision-making.

Attentional and Memory Advantages to Self

Attentional bias: Faster response times to self-related stimuli.
Memory advantage: Enhanced recall of self-related information.

Cocktail Party Effect

Self-relevant stimuli attract attention, even in background noise.
Dichotic listening experiments highlight self-referential attentional effects.

Fundamental Attribution Error

We overestimate dispositional factors (personality, character) and underestimate situational influences in interpreting others' behaviors.
This tendency is apparent in evaluations of situations that might seem unusual and lead to assumptions in the future. The four components mentioned can lead to bias towards how we perceive the world.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Explore the intricacies of self-schemas, self-concept, and their role in shaping our identity. This quiz delves into key psychological theories like symbolic interactionism and the looking-glass self, examining how social interactions and comparisons influence our self-perception. Test your understanding of these concepts and their significance in psychology.