Constructing the self-concept: Learning who we are Flashcards
How do people learn their own characteristics?
- observing their own behaviours
- Bem, 1967 - we use our own behaviour as a basis for inference
What did Bem, 1967 demonstrate?
- we use our own behaviour as a basis for inference
What are cues for learning who we are?
- observing own behaviours
- interpretation of our own thoughts and feelings
- other peoples reactions
-comparison to others
Who is the key research study by in one of the cues being from other peoples reactions?
- Coolie 1902 - looking glass effect- learn who we are through our interactions with other
Who is the key research study by in one of the cues being from comparing to others?
- Festinger 1954 - people gain info about themselves by seeking out similiar others for comparison
What is the upward and downward comparison demonstrated by Festinger, 1954?
- upward: comparing to someone above us in status
-downward: comparing to someone below us in status
What is the Miller, Brickman & Boles 1975 study?
- teachers and parents repeatedly told group of children they were tidy, second group were told to be tidy, third group (control) not told anything
- children labelled as being tidy were tidiest- influenced self concept and subsequent behaviour - self fulfilling prophecy
When learning about the self and others, how is it similiar?
- integration of info is similiar- we use similiar processes in the ways we learn about self as others
What are the two different attributions for self and others?
- actor-observer differences in attribution
- fundamental error
When learning about the self and others, how is it different?
- we have more knowledge about ourselves- see ourselves in a wider range of situations and for more time
What is actor-observer differences in attribution?
- tend to see personality as cause of others behaviours - situation as cause of ones own
What is meant by fundamental error?
- under emphasise situational explanations while over emphasising dispositional explanations for others but not our own behaviour
How is self knowledge assembled?
- diverse information
What occurs when constructing a coherent self concept?
- self schema - Markus 1977
Who is the key researcher when discussing self schemas?
- Markus 1977