the self- (includes ERI) Flashcards
the self is a _____ construction and ____ construction
cognitive; social
cognitive construction
mental representation
social construction
interactions/experiences with others
the self includes (3)
self-concept (way we describe ourself), self-esteem (how we evaluate ourself), identity (overarching broad theory of ourself)
self-concept: infancy
~18 months: pass rouge test (me vs mirror)
-2 yrs: recognize self in pictures, label self (me, I), category labels for self (e.g. 2yrs, boy, tall etc.)
self-concept: early childhood
-3~6yrs
-can describe self
-concrete, observable features
-unrealistically positive
self-concept: middle/later childhood
“i’m smart. i’m friendly-other kids won’t like you if you’re not. My best friend is Noora. She is better at drawing than me.” what age?
~8yrs
self-concept: adolescence
-nuanced view of self; understand role of situations/context/perspective; abstract & psychological; future selves; begin to develop coherent self
false self behaviour
-adolescence
-intentionally presents a false impression to others (e.g. to parents, romantic behaviours)
personal fable
belief that one’s own experience is unique and novel (adolescent egocentrism)
imaginary audience
belief that everyone else is focused on you
influences on self-concept
cognitive development, parents (warmth & support, family narratives), peers, culture (individualistic vs collectivist), neurodivergence (less focus on future self)
self-esteem development
-starts high, declines through childhood
-overall seems to increase beginning in mid-adolescence (but lots of individual differences)
-girls lower than boys throughout
influences on self-esteem
-gender (higher for cisgender boys vs girls)
-importance of gender-affirming care for trans youth
-culture (different meanings of self-esteem; indivi vs collect)
-race (pride culture, modesty)
-approval of others
-societal standards (physical attractiveness)
impact of self-esteem
-high self-esteem (better in school, better well-being); low (emotional & behavioural problems)
-self-esteem movement (ineffective in boosting grades/well-being)
what might the failure of the self-esteem movement indicate about self-esteem?
that self-esteem has to be based on real/stable values (e.g. academic accomplishments)
self-concept vs identity
-traits (e.g. smart, shy) vs integrated idea of self that continues across time & space
-group identities (ethnic, religious, gender, political, occupational, sexual)
Erik Erikson
adolescence is a crisis of identity vs role confusion
-psychosocial moratorium
psychosocial moratorium
time in which individuals are free from excessive obligations and can experiment with different roles
James Marcia on identity
exploration and commitment
-identity diffusion (not committed to identity)
-identity foreclosure, moratorium, identity achievement
identity diffusion
-low commitment & exploration
-early adolescence
-associated with higher levels of behavioural and emotional problems, difficulties with relationships
-more likely to report low levels of parental warmth/support
identity foreclosure
-high commitment, low exploration
-common in early adolescence
-low anxiety & general life satisfaction; higher prejudice, inflexibility, need for social approval, lower sense of autonomy
-more common with controlling/protective parents
moratorium
-high exploration, low commitment
-older adolescence
-high levels of anxiety, conflict with authority
-correlates may depend on length of exploration & amount of rumination about exploration
identity achievement
-high commitment, high exploration
-young adult
-high achievement, maturity, intimacy
-agency
identity status is a ___ (James Marcia)
continuous process; common to move between statuses multiple times (MoMa cycling)
ethnic-racial identification vs identity
-labelling & knowledge seems to develop in childhood vs a person’s thoughts and feelings about their race and ethnicity
ethnic-racial identity process
unexamined ethnic identity > (experience (realization of “difference”)) > exploration > resolution
ethnic-racial identity content
-affirmation (private regard)
-public regard
-centrality
-salience
affirmation (private regard) (ethnic-racial identity content)
how good/bad person feels about being part of their ethnic/racial group (protective factor)
public regard (ethnic-racial identity content)
how positively a person believes other people view their ethnic/racial group
centrality (ethnic-racial identity content)
how important a person’s ethnic/racial group is to their identity
salience (ethnic-racial identity content)
how important a person feels their ethnic/racial group is to a particular situation
Berry’s Model of Acculturation; Galan’s Multidimensional Model
identify with minority culture (x axis) & identity with majority culture (y axis)
-marginalized, separated, assimilated, bicultural (integration)
in adolescents and young adults, positive ERI (ethnic racial identity) associated with
-lower levels of depressive symptoms
-higher self-esteem
-positive academic outcomes
-protection in face of discrimination
ethnic racial socialization
where children learn about values, attitudes, behaviours & perceptions associated with race/ethnicity (more common in marginalized groups)
-valuing ones’ culture, dealing with racism, succeeding in mainstream society
influences on ERI: Sladek et al. (2022)
-qualitative study with teens
-learning through family; in connection with community, peers, media, school
-peers in context of school, community, from media in content of school
-ERI development occurring within systems of racism/oppression
should ERI be taught in school?
asked by lots of researchers; identity project curriculum benefits self-esteem
ERI development in multiracial youth may be particularly challenging because
-more likely more ERI exploration but less positive ERI, less ERI centrality
-parents may not have experience with all aspects of a child’s ERI
-may experience racial/ethnic invalidation
-ERI may be more fluid
multiracial youth may seem to show more ___ thinking
flexible (like with bilinguals)
ERI development in white youth
limited
-white youth tend to discuss ERI as less important to their identity
-white parents engage in less socialization
-white youth tend to report less positive ERI; less exploration, less centrality (white guilt?)
ERI positivity generally linked with
more socialization with same ethnic/racial groups
social stratification
exists across societies; which domains distinguish access to power/resources/etc. such as race, migration, language, religion, skin colour etc.
