Self Concept

Question 1

The developmental trajectory of the self-concept

Answer 1

Lewis (1986) develop self concept at age 2
- concrete references to age and gender
- traits and what others think of us as well as social identities

Question 2

Montemayor & Eisen (1977)

Answer 2

• when answering a question regarding ‘who am I’ a 9 year old would state how they look.
• 16 year old would describe their personality

Question 3

Individual - Collectivism

Answer 3

• individual culturas such as western cultures have individual identities and stress the individual self
• Collectivist cultures such as Chinese and India, stress relationships and social identities
  Research - trafimow et al (1991) US college students used more individualistic statements than Chinese college students

Question 4

Self as a cognitive structure

Answer 4

• Self schemas help us understand our own behaviour.
• i.e. honest, intelligent

Question 5

Self schema affect on information processing

Answer 5

-make rapid judgements about self schematic traits
- Often reject information which is not consistent with self schemas
- notice when our self schematic traits are present in others

Question 6

Possible Selves
(Markus & Nurius, 1986)

Answer 6

• Ideas you have about yourself in the future and in the past.
• Link between self and motivation
• may also be a fear about your future
• Positive regarding future at a younger age rather than older age

Desired self - a difficult target which you set yourself
Feared self - possible outcome which could occur

• Day et al (1994) increasing number of possible selves by creating intervention programme for Mexican children to encourage them to think of employment options

Question 7

Self-Complexity (Linville,1985)

Answer 7

• Self concepts can vary in complexity
• How many self accepts we have and how independent they are
• Failure affects people with less complex selves more severely
• Success affects people with complex selves less than simple

Question 8

Self esteem and the self

Answer 8

• An evaluation of ourselves
• Encountering others with similar qualities on our self schematic traits presents a threat - specifically if close to others

Question 9

Better than average bias (Illusory superiority)

Answer 9

• Wylie, 1970 - most Americans believe they are more attractive and intelligent than average
• Suls, Lemos and Steward (2002) - also extends to how we view our friends

Question 10

Self Enhancement bias

Answer 10

• Describing ourselves in a more positive light than what our actions would suggest
• Macdonald & Ross (1997) we believe our romantic relationships last longer than what our family members may believe but they are actually more accurate

Question 11

Are we becoming narcissists thanks to social media? Ablow (2013)

Answer 11

• you can delete comments you don’t like
• You can block people who disagree with you
• You can convince yourself you have many more friends than you actually have
• surveys show increasing ratings of self worth

Question 12

Evaluating the self enhancement drive

Answer 12

Taylor & Brown (1988) these biases are helpful for mental health - ‘positive illusions’

Question 13

Self-vertification theory (Swann, 1984)

Answer 13

• want others to see them as the way others see themselves
• dating couples would rather partners have more positive view ob them - married couples want partners to see them as they do

Question 14

Sedikides (1993)

Answer 14

• self assessment vs self vertification vs self enhancement
• Self reflection task asked about self concepts
• self enhancement was strongest motive
• cultural differences exist East Asians don’t focus on self enhancement, social groups are more important to them