The Social Self
Cognitive Basis
Self Knowledge
Self schema
- the beliefs and ideas people hold about themselves
- Multiple! Wide range of self-schema (Markus, 1977)
- Working self-concept Context-dependent self; only some aspects active at any given time
Self Schema Development
- Self-schemas form through experience and feedback, guiding how we view ourselves and react to situations
- Baby: no self-schema
- ~18 months: emerging self-awareness (recognising self in mirror, "me" vs "not me")
- ~5–6 years: simple self-statements ("I'm a good girl," "I like red," "I don't like Tommy")
- ~13 years: more complex self-descriptions, reflecting personality, abilities, and relationships
- Schematic vs. Aschematic: some traits strongly integrated into self-concept (schematic), others less central (aschematic)
Self Discrepancy Theory (Higgins, 1987)
People have three domains of the self:
- Actual self - who we believe we are
- Ideal self - who we want to be
- Ought self - who we think we should be
Discrepancies between these selves lead to negative emotions:
- Actual vs. Ideal → sadness, disappointment
- Actual vs. Ought → anxiety, guilt
Behaviour Ways
Self Perception Theory
- Attitude -> Behaviour: Behaviour can be guided by cognitions.
- Behaviour -> Attitude: Find what your status (feelings and actions), and redefine yourself.
Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation
- Intrinsic: doing something for internal satisfaction or interest (e.g., reading for fun).
- Extrinsic: doing something for external rewards or pressures (e.g., working for money, praise, or grades).
Overjustification Effect
- Overjustification Effect occurs when extrinsic rewards reduce intrinsic motivation for an activity already enjoyed.
Justify intrinsic by extrinsic.
Social Comparison Theory
- People compare themselves to others to have a benchmark, or yardstick to measure how they are doing.
- For many attributes there is no objective standard we can only compare.
- We seek out similar others to validate ourselves-how groups are formed
Self Esteem
- Confidence in ones worth or abilities
- Judgement of the self and attitudes towards the self
- Self esteem predicts many clinical and non-clinical outcomes such as academic achievement, depression, criminal behaviour, relational success etc.
Types of self-esteem
- Global: at any time, on a scale from negative to positive
- Domain: In one specific area
- Trait: Past perception of inclusion and exclusion
- State: Current inclusion and exclusion
Self Enhancement Bias
- We are remarkably good at protecting our own self image
- Greater self-reflection on positive than on negative aspects of self
- Self Affirmation Theory - (Sherman & Cohen, 2006; Steele, 1988)
- We act to affirm positive aspects of oneself