Social Self Flashcards
(27 cards)
What is the definition of the self according to Gergen (1971)?
The self is a property of a conscious, self-reflective organism. Humans have selves, but most animals do not.
: What was Gallup’s (1970, 1977) study on mirror self-recognition in chimpanzees about?
Gallup’s study observed that wild-born chimpanzees exhibited mirror self-recognition, suggesting self-awareness in animals.
How did William James (1890) view the self in relation to the social world?
James argued that the self is not distinct from the social world; it is intertwined with it.
What is the “looking-glass self” concept introduced by Charles Cooley (1902)?
Cooley proposed that people form their self-concept based on how others perceive them, similar to looking into a mirror.
: What are self-schemas according to Markus (1977)?
Self-schemas are beliefs about oneself that help individuals process self-relevant information.
Give examples of dimensions of self-schemas.
Masculine, Independent, Liberal, Introverted, Overweight, Feminine, Dependent, Conservative, Extraverted, Underweight.
How do schematic and aschematic people differ in their response to self-relevant traits (Markus, 1977)?
Schematic people respond faster to traits that align with their schemas, while aschematic people respond at a similar speed to both fitting and non-fitting traits.
What is the central idea of Social Comparison Theory (Festinger, 1954)?
People compare themselves to others to obtain an accurate assessment of their own beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors.
What is downward social comparison, and how can it impact self-esteem (Wills, 1981)?
Downward social comparison involves comparing oneself to people worse off, which can enhance subjective well-being, though it can be either self-enhancing or self-threatening depending on perceived vulnerability.
What is upward social comparison, and how does it affect self-evaluation?
Upward social comparison involves comparing oneself to others better off, which can be discouraging and negatively affect self-evaluations, but it can also be self-enhancing in some cases (Collins, 1996).
How does Facebook relate to upward social comparison (Vogel et al., 20
Facebook is often used for upward social comparison, where users compare themselves to others who appear better off, potentially leading to negative self-perceptions.
How do social comparisons change under threat, such as with cancer patients (Taylor & Lobel, 1989)?
Under threat, people engage in both downward and upward comparisons to serve different psychological needs (e.g., to boost self-esteem or to gain perspective).
What is self-esteem, and who defined it (Coopersmith, 1967; Rosenberg, 1965)?
Self-esteem is the subjective appraisal of oneself as intrinsically positive or negative.
What are the two types of self-esteem discussed by Heatherton & Polivy (1991)?
Dispositional/trait self-esteem (stable over time) and state self-esteem (can fluctuate across situations).
What did the study by Chung et al. (2014) find about students’ self-esteem over a university career
What did the study by Chung et al. (2014) find about students’ self-esteem over a university career
What are contingencies of self-worth, as explained by Crocker & Wolfe (2001)?
Contingencies of self-worth refer to how self-esteem is dependent on success or failure in specific domains, such as academic performance or social approval.
What is the main idea of Sociometer Theory?
Sociometer Theory posits that self-esteem is an internal “sociometer” that monitors the degree to which a person is valued or devalued by others (Leary et al., 1995).
How is self-esteem related to social inclusion/exclusion according to Sociometer Theory?
Self-esteem fluctuates based on perceived inclusion or exclusion by others. Social exclusion leads to reduced self-esteem, aversive emotions, and behaviors aimed at seeking reinclusion.
What is the central concept of Terror Management Theory of self-esteem?
Terror Management Theory suggests that humans cope with the fear of death by constructing worldviews that help preserve self-esteem, symbolically transcending death (Greenberg, Solomon & Pyszczynski, 1997).
How does self-esteem act as a protective shield in Terror Management Theory?
Self-esteem provides a buffer against the anxiety of death by allowing individuals to meet the value standards of their cultural worldviews.
According to William James (1890), how does self-presentation function in social contexts?
James suggested that people have different “social selves” depending on the group and the opinions of others, adjusting their behavior accordingly.
What is Erving Goffman’s (1959) view on self-presentation?
: Goffman’s “The Presentation of the Self in Everyday Life” proposes that people act like performers on a stage, enacting roles that fit social situations.
What is Impression Management, and why is it important?
Impression Management refers to the strategies people use to influence how others perceive them, often to be viewed in a positive light.
What are the five strategic self-presentation strategies proposed by Jones & Pittman (1982)?
The five strategies are:
Self-promotion
Ingratiation
Intimidation
Exemplification
Supplication
