Module 7 - Perceiving Self & Others Flashcards
Self-aspects relate to the VARIETY that people experience when considering themselves or others. Explain.
summaries of a person’s beliefs about the self in specific DOMAINS, ROLES, or ACTIVITIES
Why is self-schema important?
provides a summary of core, important characteristics that a person believes define them across situations
self-schemas guide interpretation of the env. & performance of behaviour
What is narrative self / identity?
an internalized, evolving story of the self that BINDS, ORGANIZES, and PROVIDES meaning to self-components ACROSS TIME
How might components of the social situation make some aspects of the self more accessible?
e.g. minority gender in majority gender makes your ‘gender’ identity more salient - becomes a far more central self-aspect
Fazio et al (1981) & how the working self-concept guides behaviour
- situational cues (interview topic) encourage activation of introversion vs extraversion-related self-knowledge
- accessible self-knowledge (whether they had replied abt extraversion or introversion) impacted subsequent behaviour w a confederate)
situational cues can activate working self-concepts which in turn influence our behaviour
What are the 2 main ways of constructing our selves (how do we know who we are?)
- personal construction of the self (intrapersonal)
- social construction of the self (interpersonal)
When introspection reveals that one meets one’s standards, what can result?
positive feelings can result
can increase SELF-CONSISTENCY in behaviour - more likely to act in accordance w one’s values
What is self-perception theory?
people infer self-knowledge by observing their own behaviour (e.g. not going to gym = unathletic)
- occurs when self-knowledge is limited or ambiguous - if people don’t have a good situational explanation, they infer a self-related explanation
What is the over-justification effect?
when people lose motivation as the primary drive for behaviour and instead do the behaviour simply in anticipation of a reward
Lepper, Green, & Nisbett (1973)
- expected award: extrinsic motivation
- unexpected award: intrinsic motivation
- no award: intrinsic motivation
What is social comparison theory?
self knowledge comes from comparing one’s own traits, abilities, attitudes, emotions to those of others
- esp when people are uncertain
What can social comparison lead to?
1) contrast effect
2) assimilation effect
What is contrast effect?
when teens see models on insta, they contrast their self-evaluation AWAY from the person, so evaluate themselves very NEGATIVELY
What is assimilation effect?
if compared to moderate target, assimilate TOWARDS target
- see more similarities than difference
- accurate self-concept comes from comparing to SIMILAR others
Miller et al (1975)
telling kids
- control: no info
- persuasion: be tidy
- attribution: you are tidy
- attribution had highest score
What are the main functions of the self?
- regulating, protecting, guiding self in complex world
- self-enhancement motive - feel good (desire to maximize the positivity of one’s self
views, and define our self-concepts in ways that make us feel better about ourselves) - mastery - mastery goals
- connectedness - adaptation
Distinguish b/w state and traits
- trait: cross-situationally stable
- state: temporary, situation-specific
How do we protect ourselves from criticism?
- self-defensive attributions (explain negative behaviours as stemming from the situation while claim positive behaviours as arising from the self)
- self-affirmation (when one aspect / domain of the self is under threat, people can protect themselves by affirming the importance of a diff aspect / domain)
- self-defensive social comparisons (if the self is under threat, people make downward social comparisons)
How does self-enhancement differ in individualistic vs collectivist cultures?
higher self-esteem in US than Japan; higher pursuit of self-criticism and over-estimation of group serving characteristics in Japan (importance of appropriateness and fitting in)
What did Swann et al (1992) find?
people prefer relationship partners who agree with their own self-image, even if those views are negative
What’s the difference b/w seeking accurate self-knowledge vs self-verification?
- seeking accurate self-knowledge (I am bad at stats so might need to practice more)
- vs seeking confirmation of one’s self views (self-verification - confirming what one believes about the self) –> I am bad at stats, so there is no point in practcing. I failed the stats class bc I am bad at stats.
Why do people make upward social comparisons?
- provide info on how the task is done
- change expectations about what is possible to achieve
- increase motivation
What affects first impressions?
- physical characteristics (attractiveness, height, clothing)
- social category characteristics (stereotypes)
- context - environment (we are reflected in the spaces we occupy)
- behaviours (verbal, non-verbal)
