Sociology: Reflected Appraisals Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What are reflected appraisals?

How others evaluate us are reflected or communicated via their implicit and explicit reactions towards us.

What does reflected appraisals result in?

People come to think of themselves in the same way others view them.

Who created the looking glass self?

Cooley, 1902.

What is the looking glass self?

A self-concept derived through social interactions and others' reflected appraisals; it is how the social world sees us. Signup and view all the answers

What does internalization mean?

We internalize our perceptions of others' appraisals and begin to see ourselves in the same way as others see us. Signup and view all the answers

Who has the greatest impact on reflected appraisals?

Close family and friends. Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of reflected appraisals.

The mating game. Signup and view all the answers

What does the mating game tell us?

The social feedback we receive provides information about our level of socially valued attributes. Signup and view all the answers

What is our self-esteem closely tied to?

Socially valued traits. Signup and view all the answers

What are socially valued traits?

Objective traits that can easily be judged and compared to others. Signup and view all the answers

Give examples of socially valued traits.

Attractiveness, popularity, sociability, humor, fitness. Signup and view all the answers

What is the correlation between actual value people place on us and the guessed value?

0.70, so pretty close. Signup and view all the answers

What happens when children receive positive communications based on attractiveness?

More attractive children received more positive communications from others. Signup and view all the answers

Why do we easily learn the qualities we have in a particular domain?

Because of others' responses. Signup and view all the answers

What are the ideal qualities in a partner?

Warmth/trustworthiness, attractiveness/vitality, status/resources. Signup and view all the answers

Who decided the ideal qualities in a partner?

Fletcher, Simpson, Giles, & Thomas (1999). Signup and view all the answers

Is our self-esteem closely tied to the three dimensions of ideal qualities?

False Signup and view all the answers

What is the ideal standards model?

We have an ideal standard of what we would like our partner to be, which acts to evaluate and regulate our current relationships. Signup and view all the answers

Who came up with the ideal standards model?

Fletcher et al. 1999. Signup and view all the answers

What happens if there is a discrepancy between our ideal standard and our current partner?

We will have negative relationship evaluations and a higher rate of relationship dissolution. Signup and view all the answers

What is social identity?

Socially meaningful categories that are accepted by individuals as descriptive of themselves. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Reflected Appraisals

Reflected appraisals communicate how others evaluate us through their reactions.
Results in individuals perceiving themselves similarly to how they believe others view them.

The Looking Glass Self

Concept created by Charles Cooley in 1902.
Self-concept is formed through social interactions and reflected appraisals from others.

Internalization of Appraisals

People internalize perceptions of others’ appraisals, leading to self-view aligned with external evaluations.

Influences on Reflected Appraisals

Close family and friends significantly impact reflected appraisals.
Examples in social contexts like the mating game reveal societal feedback on personal attributes.

Social feedback informs individuals about their level of valued traits such as attractiveness and status.
Self-esteem is closely linked to these socially valued traits, which are easily judged.

Examples of Socially Valued Traits

Traits include attractiveness, popularity, sociability, humor, and fitness.
Children rated as more attractive receive more positive feedback, influencing their self-perception.

Correlation of Perceived and Actual Value

There is a strong correlation (0.70) between actual value placed on individuals and their guessed value, indicating alignment in self-concept and external appraisals.

Learning Qualities from Reactions

Responses from others, such as compliments or attention during activities, lead to internalization of qualities like fitness or attractiveness.

Ideal Partner Qualities

Ideal qualities in a partner include warmth/trustworthiness, attractiveness/vitality, and status/resources, determined by Fletcher et al. (1999).

Ideal Standards Model

Individuals have an ideal standard for partners which regulates current relationships and evaluates suitability.
Discrepancies between ideal standards and current partner lead to negative evaluations and lower relationship satisfaction.

Defined by socially meaningful categories that individuals recognize as descriptive of themselves.

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Description

This quiz focuses on the concept of reflected appraisals in sociology, detailing how our self-perception is shaped by others' evaluations. Key terms include the 'looking glass self' and the implications of social feedback. Review essential definitions and ideas for a deeper understanding of self-concept formation.