Chapter 11: Self and Identity Flashcards
What is self-concept?
ways we describe ourselves
- our assessment of our abilities, traits, and characteristics
- may not be in line with how others see us
- an ever-changing process, becoming more complex over our lifespan
What is infant self-awareness?
see themselves as physically separate from the world around them, and understand their behavior can be described and evaluated by others
emerges between birth and 3 months
What is self-recognition?
ability to recognize or identify the self, particularly in a mirror
- advances self-awareness
- leads toddlers to begin experiencing more complex emotions (ie. self-conscious emotions)
What is the categorical self?
self-description based upon broad categories such as sex, age, and physical characteristics
- emerges around the same time as self-recognition at 18-30 months
- goes beyond self-recognition due to language development and cognitive development
- begin to use personal pronouns and adjectives
Describe self-concept in early childhood.
- understand self in concrete terms
- focus on appearance, general abilities, favorite activities, possessions, and simple psychological traits
- includes positive traits
Describe self-concept in middle childhood.
- self-concept shifts to trait-like psychological constructs (ie. nice, helpful, being a good sibling)
- includes positive and negative traits
What is self-confidence in adolescence primarily influenced by?
their relationships with parents, peers, and teachers
Describe self-concept in adolescence.
- recognize that their feelings, behaviours, and attitudes can change with the situation (related to abstract thought in cognition)
- use qualifiers that contradicts how they might be in a different situation (ie. I am _____, unless _____)
- how they think others see them
What is the ideal self?
a self one aspires to be (made up of characteristics that the individual values and wants to achieve)
What is the real self?
one’s actual self
What is self-esteem?
based on evaluation on feelings of self-worth, self-acceptance, and self-respect
- relies on cognitive development and a sense of self that emerges over the course of childhood
Describe self-esteem in preschoolers.
- have a very positive sense of self
- believe they will be successful at anything and at any time
Describe self-esteem in school-age children.
- have a more accurate and comprehensive description of themselves
- can organize their observations of their behaviours, abilities, and experiences in more complex way
- recognize contextual fluctuations in their abilities and how they evaluate their abilities (helps become more realistic)
What is social comparison?
process by which children compare their abilities and skills with other children
Describe social comparison in preschoolers.
they can see that others are doing things differently, but do not recognize whether or not it’s a better way
Describe social comparison in school-age children.
more likely to see what others are doing, and compare themselves to them to increase or decrease self-esteem
Describe self-esteem in adolescence.
beliefs about self become more closely related to behavior and relationships
- social comparison still occurring
- evaluate self with respect to multiple dimensions and relationships
self-esteem embedded in friendships, relationships, academics, athletic abilities, other extracurriculars
What is global self-esteem in adolescents?
overall evaluation of self-worth
drops in adolescence (attributed to the multiple transitions adolescents go through), and then rises
What is identity?
coherent sense of self, comprehensive and mature combination of self-concept and self-esteem
- once you get it, it will likely remain your identity for a long time
What is identity achievement?
(ultimate goal) establishing a coherent sense of self after exploring many possibilities
How does an individual reach identity achievement?
individual must be able to construct a sense of self through reflection, critical examination, exploration, and forming a commitment to a particular set of ideas, values, and beliefs
What is associated with individuals who reach identity achievement?
positive well-being and overall functioning
What is identity moratorium?
time-out period providing more freedom and autonomy than childhood but is without the full autonomy and responsibilities of adulthood
- allows adolescents to explore possibilities of who they might become
- characterized by sense of openness to possibilities, coupled with sense of anxiety
- often working their way to identity achievement
What is emerging adulthood?
(18-24 years old) extended transitional period between adolescence and adulthood
- more high school graduates, therefore traditional markers of adulthood are being delayed compared to prior generations
What is identity diffusion?
not having explored or committed to a sense of self
- identity is not clear
little motivation to come to an - identity, did not take advantage of opportunities
What is identity foreclosure?
chosen an identity without engaging in exploration
- prematurely stopped, or never engaged, in process of exploration
Why does identity foreclosure often occur?
individual has parents that are over-controlling and decides for them (ie. this is the family, values, job you will have)
- problematic for some individuals, but not others
Are the stages of finding one’s identity universal?
not universal
they are more for individualistic cultures (ie. Western cultures) than collectivistic cultures
What are the 2 main contextual influences on identity development?
relationship with parents
SES
How do relationships with parents influence identity development?
more positive relationship = better able to reach identity achievement
- when parents provide sense of security, autonomy, support, unconditional love, the adolescent is more likely to fully explore their identity and use their parents as a secure base
How does SES influence identity development?
higher SES = more time for exploration
- may have fewer responsibilities (ie. having a part-time job) outside of home and inside the home, which gives them more free time to explore
- more extracurricular opportunities
- have parents who can help make connections for internships
- much more likely to attend university
What is ethnic identity?
sense of membership in or connection to an ethnic group
How can an individual develop an ethnic identity?
exploring and internalizing values from the ethnic group by reading, attending cultural events, talking to members of the culture
What is the role of discrimination on ethnic identity?
- minorities who face discrimination can find it difficult to find a positive sense of identity (ie. feel negative, embarrassed)
- individuals who have a strong sense of ethnic identity can reduce negative effects of discrimination
What is the role of parents on ethnic identity?
parents that provide positive ethnic socialization will have children with strong ethnic identity
What is Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development?
- throughout the lifespan we all proceed through a series of psychosocial crises or developmental tasks
- how well each crisis is resolved influences psychological development
Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development
- Trust Versus Mistrust (birth-1 yr)
views world as safe place where basic needs will be met
- if individual is able to form a secure attachment, they achieve a sense of trust
Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development
- Autonomy Versus Shame and Doubt (1-3 yrs)
confident in ability to explore
- must be confident in learning how to crawl, walk, feed themselves, use the washroom by themselves to develop sense of autonomy
Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development
- Initiative Versus Guilt (3-6 yrs)
takes pride in accomplishments (iniative)
Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development
- Industry Versus Inferiority (6-11 yrs)
feeling competent
- doing well in school = feelings of industry
Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development
- Identity Versus Role Confusion (adolescence)
figuring out who one is (sense of self)
Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development
- Intimacy Versus Isolation (early adulthood 20-40)
developing capacity for intimacy and making a permanent commitment to romantic partner
- no secure attachment, and internal working model is thinking you are not worthy of life, you will not have a capacity for intimacy
Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development
- Generativity Versus Stagnation (middle adulthood 40-60)
concern and sense of responsibility for future generations and society
generativity:
- individuals start giving back to others (ie. volunteering)
- developed a career, may be training the next generation of workers
- connecting with the next generation
- finding hobbies
stagnation:
- disengage from next generation because they don’t feel a connection and don’t think they can contribute
Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development
- Ego Integrity Versus Despair (older adults 60)
find sense of coherence in life experiences; conclude their lives are meaningful and valuable
ego integrity:
- believing they lived their lives successfully
despair:
- feel like they failed a lot, and don’t have an opportunity for a do-over
- poor relationships with adult children
