Lecture 17 - The Self I (What is the Self & Self Knowledge)

Question 1

How is the self conceptualised and measured?

Answer 1

One possible answer is the way in which the individual views the self. A self-report measure answering 20 statements of “I am…” is one measure.

• Personal self: I am smart.
• Relational self: I am a brother.
• Collective self: I am a goalie.

Question 2

What is the duality of the self (James, 1890)?

Answer 2

• The self as an object (‘me’). Observable or self-perceived aspects of the self (I am tall).
• The self as an agent (‘I’). The active processor/self-awareness, the act of thinking about yourself and what you’re doing.

Question 3

What are cultural differences related to the self?

Answer 3

Western cultures emphasize an independent view of the self, where individualism is valued (squeaky wheel gets the grease). Eastern cultures value interdependence, where the self is defined in terms of relationships (nail that stands out gets pounded in).

Question 4

What are the gender differences related to the self?

Answer 4

Women are more relational (relationship-focus), while men are more collective (group membership). However there is a high degree of variability not just accounted for by gender.

Question 5

What is introspection? Is it always effective?

Answer 5

How we know our self, but we cannot always tell why we do things. Stocking study where people were asked to pick the best pair of stockings (all were identical). Majority picked from the right, but could not explain why -> right-hand bias.
When people right about their mood and then discuss influencing mood factors, there is no difference in identification of moods in comparison to those who did not reflect on mood -> not accurate insight into mood.