Chapter 3: The Social Self

Question 1

Self-Concept

Answer 1

The sum total of an individual’s beliefs about his or her own personal attributes. May consist of multiple self-schemas

Question 2

Self-Schema

Answer 2

A belief people hold about themselves that guides the processing of self-relevant information

Question 3

Affective Forecasting

Answer 3

The process of predicting how one would feel in response to future emotional events

Question 4

Self-Perception Theory

Answer 4

The theory that when internal cues are difficult to interpret, people gain self-insight by observing their own behavior

Question 5

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

Answer 5

The hypothesis that changes in facial expression can lead to corresponding changes in emotion

Question 6

Overjustification Effect

Answer 6

The tendency for intrinsic motivation to diminish for activities that have become associated with reward or other extrinsic factors

Question 7

Social Comparison Theory

Answer 7

The theory that people evaluate their own abilities and opinions by comparing themselves to others

Question 8

Two-Factor Theory of Emotion

Answer 8

The theory that the experience of emotion is based on two factors: physiological arousal and a cognitive interpretation of that arousal

Question 9

Autobiographical Memories

Answer 9

Recollections of the sequences of events that have touched your life. Responsible for self-concept according to James Mill. More recent events are recalled more often than events from further in the past. People tend to distort their past in order to inflate their own sense of importance and achievement.

Question 10

Individualism

Answer 10

Values the virtues of independence, autonomy, and self-reliance. Predominantly seen in the United States, Australia, Great Britain, Canada, and the Netherlands. Strive for personal achievement and tend to overestimate their own contributions to a team effort. Seize credit for success and blame other for failure.

Question 11

Collectivism

Answer 11

Values the virtues of interdependence, cooperation, and social harmony. Predominantly seen in Venezuela, Colombia, Pakistan, Peru, Taiwan, and China. Derive more satisfaction from the status of a value group underestimate their own role in a team effort. Present themselves in more modest self-effacing terms in relation to other members of the group

Question 12

Dialecticism

Answer 12

An Eastern system of thought that accepts the coexistence of contradictory characteristics within a single person

Question 13

Self-Esteem

Answer 13

An affective component of the self, consisting of a person’s positive and negative self-evaluations. People with higher self images tend to be more successful, productive, confident, happy, and healthy.

Question 14

Sociometer Theory

Answer 14

The theory that self-esteem is a gauge that monitors our social interactions and sends us signals as to whether our behavior is acceptable to others

Question 15

Terror Management Theory

Answer 15

The theory that humans cope with the fear of their own death by constructing worldviews that help to preserve their self-esteem

Question 16

Self-Discrepancy Theory

Answer 16

The difference between a person’s personal view of themselves versus how they are seen by others around them

Question 17

Self-Awareness Theory

Answer 17

The theory that self-focused attention leads people to notice self-discrepancies, thereby motivating either an escape from self-awareness or a change in behavior. Most people are not self-focused, so a sudden look at themselves causes comparisons to high standards and a subsequent decrease in overall mood and self image. But people who are self-focused seem to be more likely to behave in ways that are consistent with their own personal values or with socially accepted ideals

Question 18

Private Self-Conscious

Answer 18

A personality characteristic of individuals who are introspective, often attending to their own inner states. Tend to introspect about their inner thought and feelings.

Question 19

Public Self-Conscious

Answer 19

A personality characteristic of individuals who focus on themselves as social objects, as seen by others. Tend to focus on outer public image

Question 20

Self-Regulation

Answer 20

The process by which people control their thoughts, feelings, or behavior in order to achieve a personal or social goal. Self control is a limited resource that can be temporarily be depleted by usage

Question 21

Ironic Processes

Answer 21

The harder you try to inhibit a thought, feeling, or behavior, the less likely you are to succeed. Every conscious effort at maintaining control is met by a concern about failing to do so.

Question 22

The Better-Than-Average Effect

Answer 22

The tendency for a person to see positive traits as more self-descriptive than negative traits, rate themselves more highly than they do others, rate themselves more highly than they are rated by others, exaggerate their control over life events, and predict that they have a bright future.

Question 23

Implicit Egotism

Answer 23

A nonconscious form of self-enhancement. People are quicker to associate “self” words with positive traits than with negative traits.

Question 24

Self-Serving Beliefs

Answer 24

People tend to take credit for their own success and blame others for their failure

Question 25

Self-Handicapping

Answer 25

Behaviors designed to sabotage one’s own performance in order to provide a subsequent excuse for failure. Purposely setting ourselves up for failure to preserve our self-esteem

Question 26

Bask in Reflected Glory (BIRG)

Answer 26

To increase self-esteem by associating with other who are successful

Question 27

Downward Social Comparison

Answer 27

The defensive tendency to compare ourselves with others who are worse off than we are. Helps us put ourselves above another in order to boost our self-esteem

Question 28

Self-Presentation

Answer 28

Strategies people use to shape what others think of them.

Question 29

Strategic Self-Presentation

Answer 29

Our efforts to shape others’ impressions in specific ways in order to gain influence, power, sympathy, or approval

Question 30

Self-Verification

Answer 30

The desire to have others perceive us as we truly perceive ourselves. Verifying our existing self-concept in the eyes of others

Question 31

Self-Monitoring

Answer 31

The tendency to change behavior in response to the self-presentation concerns of the situation

Question 32

High in Self-Monitoring

Answer 32

Have a repertoire of selves from which to draw. Sensitive to strategic self-presentation concerns, they are poised, ready and able to modify their behavior as they move from one setting to another

Question 33

Low in Self-Monitoring

Answer 33

Self-verifiers by nature, appearing less concerned about the social acceptability of their behavior. Express themselves in a constant manner from one situation to the next, exhibiting what they believe to be their true and honest self