Social Psych Exam 2 Flashcards
(61 cards)
What is Self-Concept?
The overall set of beliefs that people have about their personal attributes
What is Rudimentary self-concept?
-Some primates
-Humans 18-24 months
What is child’s self-concept?
-concrete
-references to characteristics like age, sex, neighborhood, and hobbies
What is maturing self-concept?
-Less emphasis on physical characteristics
-More emphasis on psychological states and how other people judge us
Independent view of the self
-defines self through own internal thoughts, feelings, and actions and not other peoples
-Independence and uniqueness valued
-Held in many western cultures
INTERdependent view of the self
-defines self through relationships to others
-recognizes that others’ thoughts, feelings, and actions affect one’s behavior
-connectedness, interdependence valued
-uniqueness frowned upon
-held in many Asian and non-western cultures
4 main functions of self
- self-knowledge - the way we understand who we are and organize this information
- Self-control - the way we make plans and execute decisions
- Impression management - The way we present ourselves to others and get them to see us as we want to be seen
- Self-esteem - the way we maintain positive views of ourselves
Introspection
Looking inward and examining our own thoughts, feelings, and motives
- useful but not perfect
- not always pleasant to think about ourselves
Self-awareness theory
the idea that when people focus their attention on themselves, they evaluate and compare their behavior to their internal standards and values
Escaping the self
-self focus can be aversive
-some dangerous ways to turn off one’s “internal spotlight”
(alcohol abuse, binge eating, sex)
Nonaversive use of self focus
-can be pleasant (experiencing success)
-can remind you of your sense of right and wrong
Self-perception theory
Theory that when our attitudes and feelings are uncertain or ambiguous, we infer these states by observing our behavior and the situation in which it occurs
two-factor theory of emotion
the idea that emotional experience is the result of a two-step self perception process in which people:
- first experience physiological arousal
-then seek an appropriate explanation for it
Misattribution of arousal
-Making mistaken inferences about what is causing them to feel the way they do
-arousal from one source (exercise or fright) can enhance the intensity of how the person interprets other feelings (like attraction to someone)
**Intrinsic motivation
engage in an activity because of enjoyment or interest, not external rewards or pressures
***Extrinsic motivation
engage in an activity because of external reasons, not because of enjoyment or interest
Overjustification effect
Tendency for people to view their behavior as caused by compelling extrinsic reasons, making them underestimate the extent to which it was caused by intrinsic reasons
Task contingent rewards
rewards given for performing a task, regardless of how well the task is done (participation trophy)
Performance-contingent rewards
rewards based on how well we perform a task
-less damaging to intrinsic interest
Fixed mindset
the idea that we have a set amount of an ability that cant change
Growth mindset
the idea that achievement is the result of working hard, trying new strategies, and seeking input from others
Social comparison theory
The idea that we learn about our own abilities and attitudes by comparing ourselves to other people
****upward social comparison
to know the top level to which we can aspire
-comparing to people who are better with regard to a particular trait or ability
**Downward social comparison
to feel better about ourselves
-comparing to people who are worse with regard to a particular trait or ability
