Self and social cognition Flashcards
What is meant by a cognitive construct?
- How we think about ourselves/ how we think (and would like) others to see us
- Individual and collective view
Explain the low self-esteem cycle
low self esteem leads to negative expectations which leads to low effort, high anxiety, which leads to failure, which leads to self-blame which lowered self esteem
What are the different domains of competence for adults and children?
child - school work/social acceptance/sports/athletics/physical appearance/general behaviour
adult - job competence/romantic appeal/close friendship
What is Festinger’s social comparison theory?
Self evaluation/ comparing ourselves with others
Function:
1. Validates own attitudes and behaviours
2. To maintain self esteem
-self serving bias/ unrealistic optimism
What is the lake Wobegon effect?
Our tendency to overestimate our achievements and capabilities, especially in relation to others
where “all the women are strong, all the men are good looking”
How did Weinstein test unrealistic optimism in children?
asked students likelihood of experiencing future events (vs average other):
more desirable events (job after graduation, live after 80)
fewer undesirable (getting fired, divorce)
also seen in health/illness prospects
What are the advantages and disadvantages of social media?
advantages - communication/contact, information, liberation
disadvantages - sleep, mental health, cyberbullying
When does our understanding of self concept develop?
2 years - visual self concept e.g age, gender, appearance
older children - likes / feelings
adolescents - more abstract, complex
What are the 3 stages of stereotyping?
- identify category/group
- generalise features to all people in that group
- assimilate large amounts of social information
What is the halo effect?
What is beautiful is good / physical attractiveness
What is the looking glass self?
- the self-image of an individual forms by imagining what others think of his or her behaviour and appearance
- a person’s self grows out of society’s interpersonal interactions and the perceptions of others.
What is the Theory of mind?
Theory of mind refers to the ability to understand the mental states of others and to recognize that those mental states may differ from our own
When is the theory of mind acquired? Which neurological condition inhibits your ability to understand theory of mind?
- acquired at 4 years old
- TOM is poor in those diagnosed with autism
How do we form impressions on others?
- physical appearance e.g age, gender, ethnicity, dress
- first and last impressions (primary and recency effects)
What is a stereotype?
fixed, over generalised beliefs about a particular group or class of people
