Psychological Perspectives of the Self Module 3 Notes PDF

PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE SELF MODULE 3 LEARNING OUTCOMES 1. Identify the different ideas in psychology about the "self" 2. Create their own definition of the "self" based on the definitions from psychology 3. Analyze the effects of various factors identified in psychology in...

PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE SELF MODULE 3 LEARNING OUTCOMES 1. Identify the different ideas in psychology about the "self" 2. Create their own definition of the "self" based on the definitions from psychology 3. Analyze the effects of various factors identified in psychology in the formation of the "self" WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY? "*psyche*" - mind or soul & "*logos*" -- study **The scientific study of human behavior.** WHAT IS HUMAN BEHAVIOR? - **Overt** -- behavior that is **observable** by others and can be seen readily - **Covert** -- behavior that is internal therefore **not observable** and cannot be seen. Comes in the forms of feelings, thoughts, and motives - **Involuntary** -- also called reflexes; behavior that **occurs naturally** outside a person's control - **Voluntary** - thoughts and actions aimed at or resulting from **choice** in nature by individuals. - **Actions** or **reactions** of a person in response to external or internal **stimulus situa**tion. - Product of **two things**: - the **nature of individual or organism** that behaves - the **nature of situation** in which the individual find himself. WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGICAL SELF? - **In psychology,** the notion of the **"self"** refers to a **person's experience** as a single, unitary, autonomous being that is **separate from others**, experienced with **continuity** through time and place. - The experience of the self includes **consciousness** of one's physicality as well as one's inner character and emotional life. - The self that people possess has profound implications for their **thoughts, emotions,** and **behavior**. - The **thoughts** people have often been crafted to maintain the sense of self that they possess - People do not feel merely bad or good but experience an entire collection of **emotions** which requires a sense of self. - People's views of themselves can significantly affect their **behavior**. People often act in ways to maintain the view of self they possess. - **Primary Assumption:** all people possess **unconscious** thoughts, feelings, desires, and memories that shapes one's behavior and personality. **Psychic Determinism** - everything a person feels, thinks, fantasizes, dreams, and does has a **psychological motive** - **Human as Energy System** - Freud believe that human are motivated by the **unconscious**, where the id is found along with the aggression and sex instincts. - **Eros** (Life Instincts) - maintain the survival of the individual and humankind. Identified with libido or sexual energy - **Thanatos** (Death Instincts) - aggressive drives that manifest themselves in one's unconscious wish to die or to hurt oneself or others. - Our **personality** develops from the interactions among what he proposed as the **three fundamental structures of the human mind**: the **id**, **ego**, and **superego** - Conflicts among these three structures, and our efforts to find balance among what each of them "desires," determines **how we behave** and **approach the world**. 1. The **ID** (pleasure principle) is concerned with **instant gratification** of basic physical needs and urges. It operates unconsciously. 2. The **EGO** (reality principle) balances the demands of the id and superego in the practical context of reality. Considered to be the \"**self**". 3. The **SUPER EGO** (moral principle) is concerned with social rules and morals, similar to what many people call their "**conscience**\" or their \"moral compass. - **Defense Mechanisms** are invented by the **ego** to resolve the conflict between **id** and **superego**, so that personality can operate in a healthy manner. - It **deny or distort reality** while operating in unconscious level. - If it is used occasionally to **reduce stress**. - If used frequently it means the individual are trying to **avoid facing reality**. - **Repression** - occurs when a person **blocks out** troubling events or experiences from entering their **conscious thought**. - Rather than face them, a person may **unconsciously choose to block** them to forget them entirely. - **Projection** - occurs when a person **attributes** their feelings of shame or insecurity **to another person**. - Rather than confronting their feelings of insecurity, they may **subconsciously convince themselves that the other person is the issue, not themself**. - **Denial** - when a person blocks external circumstances or events in order to **avoid dealing with any emotional impact** that they may carry. - Happens when one **refuses to face or accept reality**, despite all the evidences present. - **Regression** - occurs when someone **reverts to an earlier stage of development** when faced with situations that cause anxiety or feel threatened. - i.e., sleeping with a childhood stuffed animal, or binge-eat foods from their childhood that **make them feel comfortable** - **Rationalization** - occurs when a person **explains negative behaviors** by presenting their own set of logical explanations. - allows the person to **feel comfortable** with their actions or choices while realizing that they aren't correct. - **Displacement** - involves **redirecting an emotional reaction** from the rightful **recipient to another person** altogether. - allows a person to **satisfy their need to react** while avoiding the **potentially awkward confrontation** with the person they're angry with  - **Self-concept** is a knowledge representation that contains **awareness about oneself***,* including beliefs about one\'s personality traits, physical characteristics, abilities, values, goals, and roles. - Self-concept tends to be more malleable when you\'re younger and still going through the process of **self-discovery** and **identity formation**. - As you age and learn who you are and what\'s important to you, these self-perceptions become much more detailed and organized. - It answers the question, \"**Who am I?**\" 1. **Ideal self:** The person you **want to be**. 2. **Self-image:** How you **see yourself**, including attributes like your physical characteristics, personality traits, and social roles. 3. **Self-esteem:** How much you **accept or value yourself**, which can be impacted by a number of factors including how others see you, how you think you compare to others, and your role in society. - Self-concept is **not always perfectly aligned with reality**. - When it is **aligned**, your self-concept is said to be **congruent**. - When there is a **mismatch** between how you see yourself (your self-image) and who you wish you were (your ideal self), your self-concept is **incongruent**. - Rogers believed that congruency of self-concept can be developed in childhood stage. - **Unconditional love** helps to foster congruence. - Children who experience such love feel no need to continually distort their memories in order to believe that other people will love and accept them as they are. - While **incongruence** develops when parents place conditions on their affection for their children. In this way, children begin to distort the memories of experiences that leave them **feeling unworthy of their parents\' love**. - **i.e.,** only expressing love if children **earn it through certain behaviors** and **living up to the parents\' expectations**