4. The Self as Cognitive Construction.pdf

THE SELF AS A COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTION  1 What is Psychology? The scientific study of how people behave, think, and feel. It includes topics, such as how the brain works, how our memory is organized, how people interact in groups, and...

THE SELF AS A COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTION  1 What is Psychology? The scientific study of how people behave, think, and feel. It includes topics, such as how the brain works, how our memory is organized, how people interact in groups, and how children learn about the world. In fact, everything that concerns the human being is a concern of psychology.  2 Self-theorists argue that it is natural for humans to form theories about themselves, both as a single entity and as a group, to make meaning of one's existence and experience.  3 William James and The Me-Self; I-Self I-self The pure ego, the subjective self. It is the self that is aware of its own actions. Me-self The self that is the object. The self that you can describe. James called it the empirical self.  4 I-self A sense of being the agent A sense of continuity or initiator of behavior I am the same person from day to I believe my actions have an impact: day. that I cause an effect in my environment. A sense of awareness A sense of being unique about being aware This is how I am different from I understand what is going on in me everything in my environment; I and around me and I know I perceive there is only one Me. understand it.  5 Me-self 1 Material– physical appearance and extensions of it such as clothing, immediate family, and home 2 Social– Social skills and significant interpersonal relationships 3 Spiritual– Personality, character, defining values. Global vs Differentiated Models 6 1. Gestalt- the whole is more than the sum of its parts. 2. Phenomenological/Realistic (Humanistic)- the person is a total person and cannot be reduced into parts. 3. Psychoanalysis- the psyche is divided into id, ego, and superego. 4. Self as personality divided into traits (Trait Theory)- (e.g. Big Five Factors) 5. Self as divided into domains- (physical-biological, emotional, behavioral, spiritual, moral)  7 Real and Ideal Self- concepts Carl Ransom Rogers was an American psychologist and among the founders of the humanistic approach to psychology. Humanistic psychology emphasized the active role of the individual in shaping their internal and external worlds. He coined the term actualizing tendency, which refers to a person's basic instinct to succeed at his or her highest possible capacity.  8 Personality Development and The Self-Concept Rogers based his theories of personality development on humanistic psychology and theories of subjective experience. According to Rogers, all behavior is motivated by self- actualizing tendencies and these tendencies drive you to reach your full potential. He believes that the world a person exists in is the center of constant changes, and the person reacts to these changes.  9 Ideal Self vs. Real Self Ideal Self The ideal self could include: The person that you would like yourself to be; it is your concept of the "best me" who is worthy of Notions influenced by your admiration. It is an idealized image of self that the parents individual has developed based on what you have learned and experienced. What you admire in others What the society sees as Real Self acceptable The person you actually are. It is how you What you think is in your best behave right at the moment of a situation. It interest is who you are in reality–how you think, feel, or act at present. The Importance of 10 Alignment According to Rogers, "If the way that I am (the real self) is aligned with the way that I want to be (the ideal self), then I will feel a sense of mental well-being or peace of mind. In other words, when your real self and ideal self are very similar you experience congruence. High congruence leads to a greater sense of self-worth and a healthy, productive life"  11 Multiple vs. Unified Self The multiple self concept recognizes that our identity can vary across different contexts and roles, suggesting a fluid and context-dependent understanding of self. The unified self concept posits that there is a central, cohesive identity that integrates all aspects of a person's experiences, providing consistency and continuity.  12 What does the self consist of?  13 Domains of the Self 1. Experiential Self- the theater of consciousness because it is the first to University professor and experience its beingness. This is tied very closely to memory. author Gregg Henriques proposed that the human self 2. Private Self-conscious/Private Self- the has three related, but portion of your being that verbally narrates what is happening and tries to make sense of what is separable, domains. These going on. Also called the "autobiographical domains are: self." 3. Public Self/Persona- the public image that you attempt to project to others which in turn interacts with how people actually see you.  True vs False Self 14 Winnicott suggests that the self is composed of the true self and the false self. The function of the false self is to hide and protect the true self. People tend to display a false self to impress others. The self can change depending on situations. The Self as Proactive and Agentic 15 Albert Bandura suggests that humans have the ability to act and make things happen. In his theory of the self, people are viewed as proactive agents of experiences. Agency embodies the endowments, belief systems, self- regulatory capabilities, and structures and functions through which personal influence is exercised, rather than residing as a distinct entity. The Self as Proactive and Agentic 16 The main agentic features of human agency are: intentionality, forethought, self-reactiveness, and self-reflectiveness. Intentionality- refers to acts done intentionally. You make plans and set goals for what you want to do. Forethought- enables the person to anticipate the likely consequences of prospective actions. You think ahead and anticipate the outcomes of your actions. The Self as Proactive and Agentic 16 The main agentic features of human agency are: intentionality, forethought, self-reactiveness, and self-reflectiveness. Self-reactiveness- enables the person to make choices and choose appropriate courses of action, as well as motivate and regulate their execution. You monitor your own behavior and make adjustments to stay on track with your goals Self-reflectiveness- gives the person the ability to reflect upon oneself and the adequacy of one's thoughts and actions. People are not only agents of action but self-examiners of their own functioning. You think about your own actions, decisions, and the impact they have. That's it for now! Thank you for listening! 🤓