The Self

Question 1

What is the Self?

Answer 1

The self is the individual viewed as both the source
and the object of reflexive behaviour. As such, the self is both active and passive

Question 2

What is so social about the self?

Answer 2

-Humans are social animals
-The self is constructed from social information
-Our social behaviors are influenced by self-related factors

Question 3

Define the self-concept

Answer 3

the ‘content’ of the self or the knowledge about who we are

Question 4

What is the purpose of the self-concept?

Answer 4

Helps determine how individuals will behave

Question 5

Define self-schemas

Answer 5

Cognitive generalizations about the self, derived from
past experiences, that organize and guide processing
of self-related information

Question 6

How do researchers measure the content of the self?

Answer 6

Self-evaluations can be validated by comparing the person’s self-evaluation to the objective evidence provided from the environment, including from other people.

Question 7

Which traits are central to the self-concept?

Answer 7

-Ideal self: your vision and ambitions of who you want to be
-Real self (self-image): how you currently see and perceive yourself
-Self-esteem: how much worth and value you believe you have

Question 8

Define schematic traits

Answer 8

Defining ourselves or deciding how we feel about ourselves

Question 9

T/F: Traits an be schematic or aschematic

Answer 9

True

Question 10

What is the self-reference effect?

Answer 10

Tendency for people to remember and process information better if related to themselves

Question 11

What study is a good indicator of the schematic traits and what does this study show?

Answer 11

-The “me” or “not me” study (Markus, 1977
-We are more sensitive to information that is
congruent with traits that are central to our
self-concept

Question 12

Determined by our sense of duty,
responsibility, or obligation (i.e., who we should be) is…

Answer 12

Ought self

Question 13

Determined by our hopes, wishes, and
dreams, as well as those that others have for us
(i.e., who we would like to be) is…

Answer 13

Ideal self

Question 14

Who is the self-discrepancy theory by and what year?

Answer 14

Higgins, 1987

Question 15

What are the 3 self guides that come from the self-discrepancy theory?

Answer 15

-actual self
-ought self
-ideal self

Question 16

Explain what the self-discrepancy theory is?

Answer 16

The difference between our self-concept and our
self-guides affects how we feel about ourselves

Question 17

What is Introspection and what questions can be used to describe it?

Answer 17

-The process whereby people look inward and
examine their own thoughts, feelings, and
motives.
-Who am I?
-Why do I do the things I do?

Question 18

Explain the Self-Awareness Theory

Answer 18

When people focus their attention on themselves,
they evaluate and compare their behaviour with
their internal standards and values

Question 19

What is ‘self-perception’ and who coined the term?

Answer 19

-When internal cues are difficult to interpret,
people gain self-insight by observing their own
behavior
-Bem, 1972

Question 20

What does the Self-perception study (Laird, 1973) find?

Answer 20

-facial expressions can affect emotion through a
process of self-perception
-“If I’m smiling, I must be happy.”

Question 21

What is self-complexity?

Answer 21

It can be defined as our introvert self and our extroverted self can be independent of each other in varying situations. This can mean there is very little overlap and why sometimes there is inconsistencies in behaviour from others.

Question 22

What are the differences between low and high self-complexity?

Answer 22

People with high self-complexity tend to have more positive outcomes like higher self-esteem, lower levels of stress and illness,greater tolerance for frustration, etc.

Question 23

What is self-esteem?

Answer 23

Confidence in one’s own worth abilities or moral

Question 24

What are 3 things that high self-esteem can result in?

Answer 24

1. Healthy self-confidence
2. Exaggerated sense of self
3. Conceited, egotistical, arrogant sense of self

Question 25

Describe the social comparison theory

Answer 25

-People tend to describe themselves in ways that set themselves apart from others in their immediate environment

Question 26

Who do we compare ourselves to?

Answer 26

-Upward social comparison - gaining self-knowledge
-Downward social comparison- boost our ego or maintain our self-esteem
-e.g., boys from predominately female families are more likely to cite their gender

Question 27

Self-Enhancement is…

Answer 27

Tendency to see oneself as better than the average person. It is a way to boost self-esteem.

Question 28

The process through which we try to control the impressions people form of us is also referred to as…

Answer 28

Impression management

Question 29

What is self-monitoring?

Answer 29

The tendency to be chronically concerned with one’s public image and to adjust one’s actions to fit the needs of the current situation

Question 30

Compare high self-monitoring to low self monitoring

Answer 30

low: regulate their behaviour with reference to their internal beliefs
high: tendency to conform their behaviour to the demands of the situation

Question 31

T/F: Self-handicapping is when people purposely hurt themselves for sympathy

Answer 31

False. Self handicapping happens when people put up barriers to the success such as partying before an important test.

Question 32

What is the social spotlight effect and give an example of a study?

Answer 32

-When we overestimate the extent to which we’re in the public eye.
- T-shirt study