Self and social cognition

Question 1

What is self identity?

Answer 1

• how we think about ourselves e.g. how we are, how we would like to be
• how we think (and would like) others to see us

Question 2

What is self-esteem?

Answer 2

• self-liking, regard, respect that you have for yourself

* multi-domain approach-many identities, several competencies

Question 3

What is the looking glass self?

Answer 3

• the looking glass self

• ourselves as others see us
• self appraised by other peoples’ reactions-our self-esteem is by other peoples reactions

Question 4

What is the low self-esteem cycle?

Answer 4

• links with personal/social problems
• low self-efficacy, treatment compliance
• goes into a situation with negative expectations
• failure- their fault

Question 5

What is the social comparison theory? Who came up with it/?

Answer 5

Festinger

The drive for self-evaluation, comparing ourselves to others. We select the people we use as metrics. Function = validates own attitudes and behaviours, self-esteem maintenance. Can lead to negative comparison of ourselves. self-esteem maintenance and self-serving bias (unrealistic optimism and unrealistic positive self-views)-upward vs downward comparison.

Question 6

What is the Lake Wobegon Effect?

Answer 6

Where “all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average”. Humans overestimate their own achievements or capabilities especially in relation to others.

Question 7

What is unrealistic optimism? Who came up with the theory?

Answer 7

Weinstein

Asked students likelihood of experiencing future events. More desirable events than undesirable. Not in people will depression. Highlights the importance of optimism.

Question 8

How is self-concept developed?

Answer 8

• Young children (age 2) = categorises by age, gender and appearance
• Older children = include internal attributes – likes and feelings
• Adolescents = more subtle, abstract and complex ideas of themselves

Question 9

What are children concepts of others?

Answer 9

• perspective taking
-egocentrism – 3 mountain problem
• theory of mind
-ideas about own and others’ beliefs & feelings
-acquired ~4 years old- can see yourself from someone else’s perspective

Question 10

How does autism affect children concepts?

Answer 10

poor in those diagnosed with autism

-disability in relation to social functioning and adapting to change (Baron-Cohen)

Question 11

How do people perceive others?

Answer 11

•	physical appearance counts
-age, gender, ethnicity, dress
•	first and last impressions
-primacy and recency effects
•	use personality traits to describe other people – often implied by appearance

Question 12

What is stereotyping?

Answer 12

Stereotyping- fixed, over-generalized beliefs about a particular group or class of people

Question 13

What are the process’ of stereotyping?

Answer 13

3 stages:

• identify category or group
-that’s different to other groups
-often clearly visible & basic (appearance)
• assign features to people in that group
• generalise features to all people in that group

Question 14

What are the dangers of stereotyping?

Answer 14

Negative stereotyping to Prejudice to Discrimination

Question 15

What are the determinants of liking?

Answer 15

physical attractiveness

• ranked low, but most predictive of liking
• halo effect
• what is beautiful is good (& vice versa)
• aggregation of other positive qualities
• interesting, warm, outgoing, socially skilled
• wealthy, healthy, and happy
• proximity
• early stages of friendship - accessibility

Question 16

What are the determinants of liking?

Answer 16

• familiarity-breeds liking
• similarity
-attitudes, social background, appearance …
-assortative mating – become more similar