Chapter 2

Question 1

Define self-concept.

Answer 1

The complete set of beliefs people have about themselves

Question 2

What is a self-schema?

Answer 2

A person’s overall self concept

Question 3

What is the multiple role theory?

Answer 3

Theory asserting that it is beneficial for a person’s health and wellbeing to have multiple self-identities

Question 4

Define priming.

Answer 4

Exposure to stimuli that activates a mental representation of a particular concept, value, goal or object (exposure to one stimulus influences the response to another stimulus)

Question 5

Define self-concept clarity.

Answer 5

The extent to which self-schemas are clearly and confidently defined, consistent with eachother, and stable across time

Question 6

What is reverse scoring?

Answer 6

A technique used in questionnaires to ensure that participants think about their responses - likert scale of 1-10 or 10-1

Question 7

What is a boundary condition?

Answer 7

A third variable under which an otherwise observed effect is no longer observed

Question 8

Define the self-discrepancy theory.

Answer 8

People’s discrepancies between their actual self and their perceived and ought selves

Question 9

What is the ought self?

Answer 9

How a person thinks they should be

Question 10

Define self regulation.

Answer 10

The attempt to match behaviour with an ideal or ought standard of the self

Question 11

What is the regulatory focus theory?

Answer 11

A persuasion theory which focuses on a person’s perceptions on decision making. The theory basically revolves around the enthusiasm of a person and how the person reaches his goal. Two distinct systems - promotion - focuses on increasing the accomplishments without considering the losses. Prevention - focuses on decreasing the losses than accomplishing

Question 12

Define meta-analysis.

Answer 12

Results of many studies are combined and analyzed together

Question 13

What is the control theory of self-regulation?

Answer 13

Is a system of conscious personal management that involves the process of guiding one’s own thoughts, behaviors, and feelings to reach goals

Question 14

Define ego depletion.

Answer 14

The notion that self-control and willpower are a finite resource that can be used up. When the energy for mental activity is low, self-control is typically impaired, which would be considered a state of ego depletion

Question 15

What is the strength model of self-control?

Answer 15

Theory arguing that self control cannot be maintained for an unlimited period of time and needs to be replenished

Question 16

Define upward self comparison.

Answer 16

The act of comparing oneself with someone who is perceived to be better on the relevant dimension

Question 17

Define downward self comparison.

Answer 17

The act of comparing oneself with someone who is perceived to be lesser on the relevant dimension

Question 18

Define temporal comparison.

Answer 18

The act of comparing oneself with the way one was in the past, or with an anticipated future self

Question 19

What is the self-evaluating maintenance model?

Answer 19

Theory explaining how people are able to maintain their self-esteem in situations where they engage in upward social comparisons

Question 20

What is the sociometer theory?

Answer 20

Theory of self-esteem arguing that people are motivated to maintain high levels of self-esteem and do this by ensuring they are socially included

Question 21

What is mortality salience?

Answer 21

The awareness of one’s inevitable death

Question 22

Define implicit self-esteem?

Answer 22

Unconscious spontaneous or automatic evaluation of the self

Question 23

Define spurious correlation.

Answer 23

When two variables have no direct connection but it is wrongly inferred they do, due to coincidence or the presence of a third (unseen) variable

Question 24

What is impression management?

Answer 24

People manage the self they present to others, so that they appear to others in the best possible light

Question 25

What is self-monitoring?

Answer 25

People control how they present themselves, depending on the person and situation

Question 26

Define the affective forecasting error.

Answer 26

Tendency to overestimate the emotional impact that positive and negative events will have on them

Question 27

What is the self-serving attribution bias?

Answer 27

People make internal attributions for positive aspects of the self but external attributions for negative aspects of the self

Question 28

Define bicultural individuals.

Answer 28

Individuals who are able to deal with the presence of two cultural identities at the same time