Me, Myself and I Flashcards
What was the belief about identity in 1979?
Tajfel and Turner believed that there was a social and a personal identity.
When did Brewer and Gardner develop the theory of the types of self, and what are they?
1996
* Individual – personal traits that distinguish you from others (friendly)
* Relational – dyadic relationships that assimilate you to others (mum)
* Collective – group membership (academic)
What is self-awareness and what is the test for it?
it is the realisation of being an individual
- and can be tested for using the Mirror test (Gallup, 1970)
Carver and Scheier view of the self 1981
1. Private (thoughts, feelings, attitudes)
2. Public - social image
What did Carver and Scheier state about the public self?
Public Self - can be seen and evaluated by others
→ evaluation apprehension
→ enjoy admiration
→ adhere to social standards of behaviour
What is chronic self awareness and how do people cope with it?
- stressful - constantly aware of shortcomings
coping - use of alcohol and drugs
What is reduced self awareness?
No monitoring of own behaviour (e.g., impulsive, reckless)
what did Kabat-Zinn say about mindfulness?
1991 - stated “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non judgmentally”
MIndfulness
Incorporates self-awareness
Additionally includes acceptance, and not being reactive
Heightened Private - Chronically self aware
- more intense emotion
- accurate self perception
- adhere to personal beliefs
Positive - less stress related illness
Negative - depression and neuroticism
Heightened Public - Chronically self aware
- focus on perception of others
- nervousness
- loss of self esteem
- adhere to group norms avoid embarrassment
- concern with physical appearance, both self and others.
Self awareness - self-schemas
self schema = act, think, behave, feel
self schematic
important part of self image
Aschematic
not important to the person in terms of their identity
What are the six theories for how self schemas develop?
- Control Theory of Self-regulation (Carver & Scheier, 1981, 1998)
- Self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987)
-Social Comparison Theory (Festinger, 1954)
-Self Evaluation Maintenance (Tesser, 1988)
-Social Identity Theory (Tajfel and Turner, 1979)
-Self-categorization Theory (Turner et al., 1987)
Self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987)
Actual self (person you are right now) has ideals of how they would ‘like’ to be, and how they ‘ought’ to be.
SDT - explains how the actual self relates to the ideal self that they would like to be, and the standard self that they ‘ought’ to be.
The discrepancies motivate change - however if the individual fails to change.
failing to become Ideal = dejection (e.g. disappointment)
failing to be what they Ought = agitation (e.g. anxiety)
Control Theory of Self-regulation
(Carver & Scheier, 1981, 1998)
What = SCT, our capacity for control + our motivation for control + control effort BATTLE desire and higher order goal (intentional desires - wanting to be a wife), and CONFLICT, takes place in the D-G.
D-G resolves incompatible HOG and D.
in the SCTexperiment
self-awareness:
assess whether goals met
Test – try to work against the desire = by operate to change (this is the test) -> (experiment over).
ability to combat desire determines the Strength of our Self control.
- we hold ourselves to different Private/ public standards - showing up to work on time, but not waking up to go for a run.
Self Evaluation Maintenance (Tesser, 1988)
Upward Social Comparison
1. Exaggerate target’s ability (there genetically better).
2. Change target
3. Distance self from target (not in the same group).
4. Devalue comparison dimension (not the same, your male).
Social Comparison Theory (Festinger, 1954)
Objective benchmark (goal) in similar people
We generally compare ourselves to people below us, downward comparison (bronze medallist).
But also upwards in some situations.
olympics example for Festinger Social Comparison Theory
looked at the facial expressions of the three-medallist expecting to see a downward scale in happiness from gold to bronze, however bronze was happier than silver, as silver thinks “oh I could’ve made it first”, whilst bronze compares themselves to the other competitors who achieved no medal at all and therefore feels better about themself.
Social Identity Theory (Tajfel and Turner, 1979)
Personal Identity: unique personal attributes, relationships, and traits
Social Identity: defines self by group membership -> associated with inter-group behaviour/group norms
Social-categorization Theory (Turner et al., 1987)
self-categorisation to groups → internalise group attributes → collective self → Social identity.
Meta-contrast principle - higher ration of similarities to differences in group compared to other groups.
BIRGing - ‘basking in reflected glory’
If group categorisation is too overpowering, then the perception of self and others in the group is depersonalised.
What are the self Motives?
- self assessment
- self verification
- self enhancement
self assement?
desire for accurate and valid info
- seek out the truth about self
