Social Psychology, 3: The Self

Question 1

Interpersonal self

Answer 1

Aspect of the self concerned with social acceptance

Question 2

Agent self

Answer 2

Aspect of the self concerned with decisions and self regulation

Question 3

Self concept

Answer 3

Aspect of the self concerned with self awareness and identity

Question 4

What is the “true self”?

Answer 4

It depends; according to sociologist Ralph Turner, some societies identify inner feelings and thoughts as the true self, whereas others identify social roles as the true self.

Question 5

Social roles

Answer 5

Specialization of an individual to serve specific functions in a social group. Although many animals have social roles, for the most part they are fixed for life, whereas humans are unusual in taking on many different social roles over a lifetime.

Question 6

Self Awareness

Answer 6

An organism’s consciousness/concept of itself as a distinct individual. Can be tested/heightened by mirrors, cameras, etc.

Question 7

Effects of Self Awareness

Answer 7

Self awareness frequently produces negative emotions, because it triggers comparisons against standards many people hold that are higher than their percieved actual self.

Question 8

“Telling more than we can know”

Answer 8

Nisbett & Wilson’s landmark 1977 paper, which demonstrated that people often believe in rationales for their own behavior that cannot possibly be true (ie, preferred identical stockings that they held last, but thought their preference was based on color/texture) . Their perspective is that self awareness is good for justifying our own behavior to others, not necessarily for accurate understanding of ourselves.

Question 9

Upward vs Downward Social Comparison

Answer 9

Comparing our percieved self against other persons who are relatively better or worse off, respectively. People tend to make more of the former, although this results in unpleasant emotions.

Question 10

Self-enhancement

Answer 10

A motive for seeking knowledge about the self, which is flattering regardless of its accuracy. Tends to trump the other motives.

Question 11

Consistency

Answer 11

A motive for seeking knowledge about the self, which preserves stability of identity. Ranks second among the motives.

Question 12

Self-appraisal

Answer 12

A motive for seeking knowledge about the self, which is accurate. Tends to lose out to the other motives whenever there is a conflict.

Question 13

Self-handicapping

Answer 13

Creating obstacles for oneself prior to a performance in which one is anxious about receiving negative feedback about the self. The obstacles create a convenient external excuse should the performance go badly, saving one’s self esteem.

Question 14

Typical self-esteem in our society today

Answer 14

Tends to be positive, to the point of being unrealistically optimistic about the future and one’s own capabilities.

Question 15

What are the two clearest benefits of high self esteem?

Answer 15

It gives people the confidence to take the intiative, and generates positive emotions.

Question 16

Narcissism

Answer 16

A socially destructive trait that results from excessively high, fragile self esteem. Narcissistic individuals care primarily about themselves, consider loyalty a weakness, and respond with anger and aggression to negative feedback.

Question 17

Overjustification effect

Answer 17

When a person is given external rewards for a behavior they tend to come to value the behavior only for the reward, even if they found it intrinsically satisfying previously. As a result, they lose interest in the behavior when the reward is removed.

Question 18

Behavioral responses to self-awareness

Answer 18

Either: 1) Bring behavior more into line with standards and goals or 2) escape self awareness

Question 19

Although ‘brainwashing’ to change someone’s identity is difficult, what element seems to be crucial in cases that were successful?

Answer 19

Isolation of the person from social relationships that support and affirm their identity.