The Self Flashcards
What is the self?
a set of beliefs, evaluations, perceptions, or thoughts that people have about oneself.
Swann and Bosson (2010)
Handbook chapter on the self.
Tripartite Motivational Approach - people strive for communion (belonging/connectedness), agency (autonomy/competence), & coherence (feelings of regularity, predictability, meaning, control) to maintain a positive self-concept
Diener, Suh, Lucas and Smith (1999)
Review chapter on SWB/Happiness
Extraversion linked to PA; Neuroticism linked to NA
Greater happiness found among married, religious, extraverted, optimistic people
Steele (1988)
Self affirmation theory - we rationalize to maintain conceptions that we are morally adequate, competent, good, stable
we can cope with threat to self-integrity by eliminating the threat, reducing the perception of threat, or diminishing the perception that threat threatens self-integrity
Argues that dissonance reduction is not motivated by the need for psychological consistency (like Aronson/Festinger) but by a need to affirm the larger self
Keltner and Lerner (2010)
Handbook chapter on emotion.
Taylor and Brown (1988)
Positive self-illusions promote health and wellbeing. Also linked to risk taking, ignoring important health habits, failing to prepare for catastrophic events
Fredrickson (2001)
Broaden and Build theory of positive emotions. Positive emotion broaden peoples momentary thought-action repertoires which serve to build enduring personal resources ranging from physical/intellectual resources to social/psychological resources.
negative emotions narrows one’s attention/thoughts/actions whereas positive emotions expand them
Ties to resiliency.
Baumeister (2010)
Handbook chapter on the self. The self is an essential part of the interface between the body and social system and is comprised of the self, the interpersonal self, and the self as an agent (self goals/commitments)
Ryff (1989)
6 theory driven dimensions of (longterm) psychological wellbeing: self-acceptance, positive relations with others, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life, and personal growth.
Markus and Wurf (1987)
Dynamic self-concept model - the working self concept regulates intrapersonal processes (information processing, affect, motivation) and interpersonal processes (social perception, choice of feedback). the self is active with an interpretive structure that is continually involved in the regulation of ongoing behavior
Brewer (1991)
Optimal Distinctiveness Theory - social identity is viewed as a reconciliation of opposing needs for assimilation and differentiation from others. People are the most satisfied when they reach moderate levels of assimilation and differentiation
Leary (2007)
Self-conscious emotions are connected to social wellbeing and provide motivational forces that impact our behaviors. Our capacity for self-awareness allows us to imagine how we are being perceived by other people which highlight the purpose of self-conscious emotions like guilt, shame, embarrassment, social anxiety, and pride
Self-expansion model; terror management; sociometer theory
