The Self. The Self. An individual consciousness of one s own identity. September 18th, 2009 : Lecture 3. Feelings, observations, and thoughts

Transcription

1 The Self The Self September 18th, 2009 : Lecture 3 An individual consciousness of one s own identity Feelings, observations, and thoughts Self Awareness Mark Test Awareness of the Self as an entity that is distinct from others and the environment Tested with the Mark Test AKA Rouge Test

2 Levels of the Self Minimal Self Conscious experience of the Self as distinct from the environment Minimal Self Objectified Self Symbolic Self (also called Narrative Self ) Objectified Self Cognitive capacity to serve as the object of one s own (or others ) attention Symbolic Self Ability to form an abstract mental representation of oneself through language Creative E!cient Anxious Funny Socially Phobic Listless

3 Inherently Social The Self-Concept My thought of self is filled up with my thought of others and my thoughts of others [are] mainly filled up with myself. Everything you know about yourself - James Mark Baldwin Self-Schema Measuring the Self- Concept Twenty Statements Test (TST) Cognitive representation of the Self Derived from past experience Guides processing of self-related information 1. I am 2. I am 3. I am 4. I am 20. I am.

4 Measuring the Self- Concept Twenty Statements Test (TST) Measuring the Self- Concept Twenty Statements Test (TST) 1. I am messy 2. I am studious 3. I am an athlete 4. I am a best friend 20. I am a parent 1. I am messy 2. I am studious 3. I am an athlete 4. I am a best friend 20. I am a parent Personality Descriptors Social Roles Self-Complexity Measuring the Self-Schema Implicit Personality Test Me Not Me Number of distinct aspects used to define the self-concept Personality Trait Me Not Me

5 Source: Goldberg, L.R. (1990). An alternative "description of personality": The Big- Five factor structure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 59, Active Extraverted Negligent Trustful Agreeable Fearful Nervous Unadventurous Anxious Fretful Organized Uncharitable Artistic Generous Philosophical Uncooperative Assertive Haphazard Pleasant Uncreative Bashful Harsh Practical Undemanding Bold Helpful Prompt Undependable Bright High- strung Quiet Unemotional Careful Imaginative Relaxed Unenvious Careless Imperceptive Reserved Unexcitable Cold Imperturbable Rude Unimaginative Complex Impractical Self- pitying Uninquisitive Conscientious Inconsistent Selfish Unintellectual Considerate Inefficient Shallow Unintelligent Cooperative Inhibited Shy Unkind Creative Innovative Simple Unreflective Daring Insecure Sloppy Unrestrained Deep Intellectual Steady Unsophisticated Demanding Introspective Sympathetic Unsympathetic Disorganized Introverted Systematic Unsystematic Distrustful Irritable Talkative Untalkative Efficient Jealous Temperamental Verbal Emotional Kind Thorough Vigorous Energetic Moody Timid Warm Envious Neat Touchy Withdrawn Self-Schema Self-Schema Markus (1977) Participants: 101 female college students Method: Me Not Me Personality Trait Markus (1977) Independents Aschematics Dependents Results: Focus on trait, Independent Me Not Me Response Times (s) to use Me Response Global Versus Contextualized Self Working Self-Concept Global Self-concept I am Contexualized Self-concept I am when. Buffers negative feelings after failure A subset of your self-concept that is presently accessible What goes in the working self-concept? Recently primed aspects of Self Contextually distinctive aspects Central aspects of Self

6 Self-Concept Centrality Measuring Self-Concept Centrality Calculating Some aspects of the Self-Concept are more personally important to you than others Central aspects are chronically accessible Reliable Caring Kind Conscientious Me Funny Nerd Fun Loving Adventurous Self-Concept Centrality Self-Evaluative Maintenance Interesting consequences: Self-Evaluative Maintenance Self-Handicapping Self-Verification People tend to be threatened when someone close to them outperforms them on a task that is central to the Self-Concept

7 Here are a number of characteristics that may or may not apply to you. For example, do you agree that you are someone who likes to spend time with others? Please write a number next to each statement to indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with that statement. Disagree Disagree Neither agree Agree Agree Strongly a little nor disagree a little Strongly I see myself as someone who Is talkative. 23. Tends to be lazy. 2. Tends to find fault in others. 24. Is emotionally stable, not easily upset. 3. Does a thorough 25. Is inventive. job. 4. Is depressed, blue. 5. Is original, comes up with new ideas. 26. Has an assertive personality. 27. Can be cold and aloof. 6. Is reserved. 28. Perseveres until the task is finished. 7. Is helpful and unselfish with others. 29. Can be moody. 8. Can be somewhat 30. Values artistic, careless. aesthetic experiences. 9. Is relaxed, 31. Is sometimes handles stress well. shy, inhibited. 10. Is curious about 32. Is considerate many different and kind to almost things. everyone. 11. Is full of energy. 33. Does things efficiently. 12. Starts quarrels with others. 13. Is a reliable worker. 34. Remains calm in tense situations. 35. Prefers work that is routine. 14. Can be tense. 36. Is outgoing, sociable. 15. Is ingenious, a deep thinker. 37. Is sometimes rude to others. 16. Generates a lot 38. Makes plans of enthusiasm. and follows through with them. Here are a number of characteristics that may or may not apply to you. For example, do you agree that you are someone who likes to spend time with others? Please write a number next to each statement to indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with that statement. Disagree Disagree Neither agree Agree Agree Strongly a little nor disagree a little Strongly I see myself as someone who Is talkative. 23. Tends to be lazy. 2. Tends to find fault in others. 24. Is emotionally stable, not easily upset. 3. Does a thorough 25. Is inventive. job. 4. Is depressed, blue. 5. Is original, comes up with new ideas. 26. Has an assertive personality. 27. Can be cold and aloof. 6. Is reserved. 28. Perseveres until the task is finished. 7. Is helpful and unselfish with others. 29. Can be moody. 8. Can be somewhat 30. Values artistic, careless. aesthetic experiences. 9. Is relaxed, 31. Is sometimes handles stress well. shy, inhibited. 10. Is curious about 32. Is considerate many different and kind to almost things. everyone. 11. Is full of energy. 33. Does things efficiently. 12. Starts quarrels with others. 13. Is a reliable worker. 34. Remains calm in tense situations. 35. Prefers work that is routine. 14. Can be tense. 36. Is outgoing, sociable. 15. Is ingenious, a deep thinker. 37. Is sometimes rude to others. 16. Generates a lot 38. Makes plans of enthusiasm. and follows through with them. Self-Evaluative Maintenance Self-Handicapping Typical responses: Distance Self from relationship Distance Self from task domain If task is not central to Self-Concept: Vicarious self-esteem boost Strategy to buffer the self from an anticipated failure or embarrassment by undermining one s own performance Magnitude of self-esteem boost proportional to closeness of relationship Which is Worse? Self-Handicapping 1. You study really hard for a test, get lots of sleep, eat a good breakfast, and then take your test and get a C on it 2. You go to a bar with friends and drink until 2 am, study drunkenly from 2 to 4 am, sleep from 4 to 10 am, and then take your test and get a C on it. Shepperd & Arkin (1989) Participants: 100 college students Method: Indicator of Future Success Unvalidated, Unknown Reflection on Future Success

8 Self-Handicapping Shepperd & Arkin (1989) Results: Average choice of tapes Invalid Diagnostic 1 <-- Tape Hurts Performance 4 Self-Verification Self-Verification The need to seek confirmation of one s Selfconcept Motivated by desire to be understood Holds true even if Self-View is negative Only for Central traits Self-Verification Giesler, Josephs, & Swann (1996) Giesler, Josephs, & Swann (1996) Background: Depression involves negative view of self, world, and future Results: Method: Non Depressed Source: Goldberg, L.R. (1990). An alternative "description of personality": The Big- Five factor structure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 59, Active Agreeable Extraverted Fearful Negligent Nervous Trustful Unadventurous Anxious Fretful Organized Uncharitable Artistic Generous Philosophical Uncooperative Assertive Haphazard Pleasant Uncreative Bashful Harsh Practical Undemanding Bold Helpful Prompt Undependable Bright Careful High- strung Imaginative Quiet Relaxed Unemotional Unenvious Careless Imperceptive Reserved Unexcitable Cold Imperturbable Rude Unimaginative Complex Impractical Self- pitying Uninquisitive Conscientious Inconsistent Selfish Unintellectual Considerate Inefficient Shallow Unintelligent Cooperative Inhibited Shy Unkind Creative Innovative Simple Unreflective Daring Insecure Sloppy Unrestrained Deep Demanding Intellectual Introspective Steady Sympathetic Unsophisticated Unsympathetic Disorganized Introverted Systematic Unsystematic Distrustful Irritable Talkative Untalkative Efficient Jealous Temperamental This Person is really amazingly great in every way... Verbal Emotional Kind Thorough Vigorous Energetic Moody Timid Warm Envious Neat Touchy Withdrawn This Person is really amazingly bad in every way...? This Person is really amazingly great in every way. From their responses it is apparent that they are caring, intelligent, creative, accomplished, funny, whimsical, and kind. Depressed Percentage Who Chose Negative Report 100

9 Multiple Selves Do we have just one view of the Self? No How many Selves in the Self? Hazel Markus Independent & Interdependent Selves Possible Selves Tory Higgins Self-Discrepancy Theory Independent & Interdependent Selves Independent Self View of Self as distinct from others Interdependent Self Self as inherently linked with others Includes other people in one s view of self Possible Selves Self-Discrepancy Theory Type of self-knowledge that pertains to how we think about our potential and our future Depression Ideal Self Who you would ideally like to be Ideal selves we want to become Neutral selves we could become Selves we are afraid of becoming Actual Self Who you are now Anxiety Ought Self Who other people think you should be

10 Self-Esteem Global Self-Esteem Typical level of self-esteem Self-evaluative component of the Self- Concept Global Self-Esteem State Self-Esteem Implicit Self-Esteem Some example items: On the whole, I am satisfied with myself. I feel that I am a person of worth, at least on an equal plane with others. I wish I could have more respect for myself (reverse) I feel that I have a number of good qualities. All in all, I am inclined to feel that I am a failure (reverse). State Self-Esteem Sociometer Theory Self-esteem that fluctuates based on situation/context Some example items: I feel good about myself right now The need to belong is evolutionarily adaptive and self-esteem monitors the likelihood of social exclusion Sociometer An internal monitor of social acceptance/rejection I feel inferior to others at this moment (reverse)

11 Perceived Regard Perceived Regard Method: Participants bring a friend with them to the lab How we believe we are viewed by others Tend to underestimate how much close others like us Participant and friend fill out a personality survey 3 times: How you view yourself (Self View) How you see your friend (Other View) How you think your friend sees you (Perceived Regard) Perceived Regard Self-Serving Biases Results: Friend s Other View significantly more positive than Participant s Self View Participant s Perceived Regard significantly more positive than Self View Participant s Perceived Regard significantly lower than Friend s Other View Self-Enhancement Positive Illusions Social Comparisons

12 Self-Enhancement Social Comparisons Tendency to see oneself as better-than-average on favourable characteristics Some examples: 90% of US adults classify themselves as above average drivers 1,000,000 High School seniors applying to college were asked to assess their leadership abilities: 70% said they were above average 94% of University Professors think they are better at their jobs than their colleagues Evaluation of oneself by comparing the Self to others Upward Comparison Comparison of the Self to someone who is better off than oneself Downward Comparison Comparison of the Self to someone who is worse off tan oneself Where Does the Self Reside? Right Prefrontal Cortex & Self-Recognition The Brain has it Prefrontal Cortex Medial Prefrontal Lobes Self-referential information processing Right Prefrontal Lobe Self-recognition

13 I am happy when it is Friday Next Lecture (9/23): Self-regulation Relevant websites: Improving Self-Esteem: student/cmhc/booklets/selfesteem/selfest.html Detailed site about the Self: darkwing.uoregon.edu/%7ebfmalle/410/ handouts_new.html