Self Concept, Body Image, Body Cathexis Flashcards
Self Concept
(√) Self-concept is the individual’s perception
(√) of his or her own characteristics, his/her abilities, appearance
(√) and the total organisation of characteristics
(√) which he/she perceives as distinguishing him/her as an individual.
Body Image
- The picture that people have in their minds of how other people see them.
- Body Image forms part of the self concept.
- Culture may determine what you consider the ideal body type.
- Advertisements shows how important it is for people to look like their cultural ideal of beauty.
Body Cathexis
The degree to which the person is satisfied with his or her own body.
How Body Image is defined culturally
Your culture will determine what you will consider the ideal body shape.
Some cultures will prefer women to be nicely rounded while in others only the very thin is consider beautiful.
Clothing is used to bring the perceived body type and the ideal body type closer to each other.
A padded bra may bring a women with perceived small chest area closer to the cultural ideal big breasted body type.
A girdle may bring a women with a perceived large behind closer to the cultural ideal firm behind.
The role of clothing in the development of the self concept.
- Childhood
- Social roles
- Importance of clothing in expected role behaviour.
*Chilhood
We are not born with a self concept, it must be developed throughout your life, it must be learned.
Dress and appearance are important components in child developement.
Conformity to peers becomes important by early childhood and increases in importance throughout early adolescents.
Dress plays an Important role in helping an individual feel a sense of belonging and acceptance, which helps inn searching for self identity.
*Social Roles
A person assumes a series of social roles and learns by interaction with other people, the behaviour patterns that are expected from those roles. Clothing is a visible que during these interactions. This aids in the developement of the self concept. Gender and sex is the first social role that is learnt.
*Importance of clothing in role behaviour
Clothing is important in this developement of expected role behaviour as it establishes the identity of the individual, not only to others but also to him/herself.
