Psychological View Of The Self PDF

PSYCHOLOGICAL VIEW OF THE SELF  THE “I” AND “ME”  “I” is the thinking, acting and feeling self.  The “me” is the physical characteristics as well as psychological capabilities that make you who you are.  Carl Rogers’s (1959) theory of personality also used the same terms...

PSYCHOLOGICAL VIEW OF THE SELF  THE “I” AND “ME”  “I” is the thinking, acting and feeling self.  The “me” is the physical characteristics as well as psychological capabilities that make you who you are.  Carl Rogers’s (1959) theory of personality also used the same terms, the “I” as the one who acts and decides while the “me” is what you think or feel about yourself as an object.  IDENTITY AND SELF-CONCEPT  Identity is composed of personal characteristics, social roles and responsibilities, as well as affiliations that define who one is.  Self-concept is what basically comes to your mind when you are asked about who you are.  Self, identity and self-concept are not fixed in one time frame. They are not also fixed for life nor are the ever-changing at every moment.  SELF SCHEMA  Carl Rogers captured this idea in his concept of self-schema or our organized system or collection of knowledge about who we are. Imagine an organized list or a diagram similar to the one below: Carl Rogers (1959) believes that the self-concept has three different components: The view you have of yourself (self-image) How much value you place on yourself (self-esteem or self-worth) What you wish you were really like (ideal-self)  EXISTENTIAL AND CATEGORICAL SELF The Existential Self  This is 'the most basic part of the self-scheme or self-concept; the sense of being separate and distinct from others and the awareness of the constancy of the self’ The Categorical Self  Having realized that he or she exists as a separate experiencing being, the child next becomes aware that he or she is also an object in the world.  Self-image (how you see yourself)  This does not necessarily have to reflect reality.  A person's self-image is affected by many factors, such as parental influences, friends, the media etc. The list of answers to the question “Who Am I?” probably include examples of each of the following four types of responses: 1)Physical Description: I’m tall, have blue eyes...etc. 2) Social Roles: We are all social beings whose behavior is shaped to some extent by the roles we play. Such roles as student, housewife, or member of the football team not only help others to recognize us but also help us to know what is expected of us in various situations. 3) Personal Traits: These are the third dimension of our self-descriptions. “I’m impulsive...I’m generous...I tend to worry a lot”...etc. 4) Existential Statements (abstract ones): These can range from "I’m a child of the universe" to "I’m a human being" to "I’m a spiritual being"...etc. Typically young people describe themselves more in terms of personal traits, whereas older people feel defined to a greater extent by their social roles.  PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY SIGMUND FREUD  Sigmund Freud's personality theory (1923) saw the psyche structured into three parts (i.e., tripartite), the id, ego and superego, all developing at different stages in our lives. These are systems, not parts of the brain, or in any way physical.  According to Freud’s psychosexual theory, the id is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive drives and hidden memories, the super-ego operates as a moral conscience, and the ego is the realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the super-ego. ID, EGO AND SUPEREGO  ID, EGO AND SUPEREGO The Id The id, the most primitive of the three structures, is concerned with instant gratification of basic physical needs and urges. It operatess entirely unconsciously (outside of conscious thought). For example, if your id walked past a stranger eating ice cream, it would most likely take the ice cream for itself. It doesn’t know, or care, that it is rude to take something belonging to someone else; it would care only that you wanted the ice cream. The Superego The superego is concerned with social rules and morals—similar to what many people call their ” conscience ” or their “moral compass.” It develops as a child learns what their culture considers right and wrong. The Ego  In contrast to the instinctual id and the moral superego, the ego is the rational, pragmatic part of our personality. It is less primitive than the id and is partly conscious and partly unconscious. It’s what Freud considered to be the “self,” and its job is to balance the demands of the id and superego in the practical context of reality.  Defense Mechanisms of the Brain  First proposed by Sigmund Freud, this theory has evolved over time and contends that behaviors, like defense mechanisms, are not under a person’s conscious control. In fact, most people do them without realizing the strategy they’re using.  Defense mechanisms are behaviors people use to separate themselves from unpleasant events, actions, or thoughts. These psychological strategies may help people put distance between themselves and threats or unwanted feelings, such as guilt or shame. Defense Mechanisms of the Brain Denial  Denial is one of the most common defense mechanisms. It occurs when you refuse to accept reality or facts. You block external events or circumstances from your mind so that you don’t have to deal with the emotional impact. In other words, you avoid the painful feelings or events.  This defense mechanism is one of the most widely known, too. The phrase, “They’re in denial” is commonly understood to mean a person is avoiding reality despite what may be obvious to people around them. Defense Mechanisms of the Brain Repression  Repression is the unconscious blocking of unpleasant emotions, impulses, memories, and thoughts from your conscious mind. Introduced by Sigmund Freud, the purpose of this defense mechanism is to try to minimize feelings of guilt and anxiety.  However, while repression might initially be effective, it can lead to greater anxiety down the road. Freud believed that repression could lead to psychological distress. Defense Mechanisms of the Brain Suppression  While repression involves unconsciously blocking unwanted thoughts or impulses, Suppression is entirely voluntary. Specifically, suppression is deliberately trying to forget or not think about painful or unwanted thoughts. Defense Mechanisms of the Brain Projection  Some thoughts or feelings you have about another person may make you uncomfortable. If you project those feelings, you’re misattributing them to the other person. Defense Mechanisms of the Brain Displacement  You direct strong emotions and frustrations toward a person or object that doesn’t feel threatening. This allows you to satisfy an impulse to react, but you don’t risk significant consequences. Defense Mechanisms of the Brain Regression  Some people who feel threatened or anxious may unconsciously “escape” to an earlier stage of development.  This type of defense mechanism may be most obvious in young children. If they experience trauma or loss, they may suddenly act as if they’re younger again. They may even begin wetting the bed or sucking their thumb.  Adults can regress, too. Adults who are struggling to cope with events or behaviors may return to sleeping with a cherished stuffed animal, overeat foods they find comforting, or begin chain smoking or chewing on pencils or pens. They may also avoid everyday activities because they feel overwhelming. Defense Mechanisms of the Brain Rationalization  Rationalization is a defense mechanism proposed by Anna Freud involving a cognitive distortion of "the facts" to make an event or an impulse less threatening. We do it often enough on a fairly conscious level when we provide ourselves with excuses.  But for many people, with sensitive egos, making excuses comes so easy that they never are truly aware of it. In other words, many of us are quite prepared to believe our lies. Defense Mechanisms of the Brain Sublimation  This type of defense mechanism is considered a positive strategy. That’s because people who rely on it choose to redirect strong emotions or feelings into an object or activity that is appropriate and safe.  For example, instead of lashing out at your employees, you choose to channel your frustration into kickboxing or exercise. You could also funnel or redirect the feelings into music, art, or sports. Defense Mechanisms of the Brain Reaction formation  People who use this defense mechanism recognize how they feel, but they choose to behave in the opposite manner of their instincts.  A person who reacts this way, for example, may feel they should not express negative emotions, such as anger or frustration. They choose to instead react in an overly positive way. Defense Mechanisms of the Brain Compartmentalization  Separating your life into independent sectors may feel like a way to protect many elements of it.  For example, when you choose to not discuss personal life issues at work, you block off, or compartmentalize, that element of your life. This allows you to carry on without facing the anxieties or challenges while you’re in that setting or mindset. Defense Mechanisms of the Brain Intellectualization  When you’re hit with a trying situation, you may choose to remove all emotion from your responses and instead focus on quantitative facts. You may see this strategy in use when a person who is let go from a job choose to spend their days creating spreadsheets of job opportunities and leads. “Time is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it. You can make more money, but you can't make more time. When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back. Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time. It is not enough to just say relationships are important; we must prove it by investing time in them. Words alone are worthless. "My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action." Relationships take time and effort, and the best way to spell love is "T-I-M-E.” ― Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here for? Who am I? Casting Crowns  Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth would care to know  Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin would look on me my name? with love  Would care to feel my hurt?  And watch me rise again  Who am I, that the bright and morning star would choose to  Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea would call out light the way through the rain  For my ever wandering heart?  And calm the storm in me?  Not because of who I am  Not because of who I am  But because of what you've done  But because of what you've done  Not because of what I've done  Not because of what I've done  But because of who you are  But because of who you are  I am a flower quickly fading  I am a flower quickly fading  Here today and gone tomorrow  Here today and gone tomorrow  A wave tossed in the ocean (ocean)  A wave tossed in the ocean (ocean)  A vapor in the wind  A vapor in the wind  Still you hear me when I'm calling  Still you hear me when I'm calling  Lord, you catch me when I'm falling  Lord, you catch me when I'm falling  And you've told me who I am  And you've told me who I am (I am)  I am yours, I am yours  I am yours Not because of who I am But because of what you've done Not because of what I've done But because of who you are I am a flower quickly fading Here today and gone tomorrow A wave tossed in the ocean (ocean) A vapor in the wind Still you hear me when I'm calling Lord, you catch me when I'm falling And you've told me who I am (I am) I am yours