The Social Self

Question 1

What are the 2 concepts of self

Answer 1

Self concept or self-knowledge (the known of me)

Self-awareness (the knower of the I)

Question 2

What are the 3 features of self

Answer 2

Self includes the body

Self includes their social identity

Self is the active agent

Question 3

What are the 3 functions of selfhood

Answer 3

1) Self is an interpersonal tool
2) Self makes choices
3) Self regulation

Question 4

Explain the function of self is an interpersonal tool

Answer 4

It aids in the connections with others

Question 5

Explain the function of self makes choices

Answer 5

The “I” makes choices
What you want to study, what are your goals in life

Question 6

Explain the function of self regulation

Answer 6

Looking after yourself
Regulating emotions, thoughts
The “I” looks after the “me”

Question 7

What does self knowledge come from (2)

Answer 7

Feedback from others (know you are kind, compassionate, ect, because others have told you)

Self comparison (how you compare to your friends)

Question 8

Why is self knowledge percieved

Answer 8

Self knowledge is obtained from others but is heavily filtered through biases from others

• Self knowledge is obtained from others but is heavily filtered through biases from others
  What we hear is generally filtered through politeness, not giving honest feedback

-When we get negative feedback we tend to be dismissive and come up with excuses

Question 9

Why do autobiographers thing self-knowledge is accurate

Answer 9

• Self concept is the most complete form of knowledge imaginable

-No one knows you as much as you know yourself. No one knows who people are unless they explain to us

Question 10

Why do psychoanalyists not think self-knowledge is accurate

Answer 10

You need an expert to help understand yourself
Self concept is very difficult to obtain

Question 11

What is introspection

Answer 11

The process of looking inward and examining our thoughts or feelings

Sitting with self and reflecting on self, examining motivation, emotions, behavior

Question 12

Limitation of introspection

Answer 12

Reasons for some of our behaviours are hidden from our conscious awareness

Question 13

What are 3 systematic distortions people use

Answer 13

1) Exaggerating positive self-evaluation
2) Exaggerating perception of control
3) We have unrealistic optimism

Question 14

Explain distortion: Exaggerating positive self-evaluation

Answer 14

We think we are healthy, smarter, than other people

Question 15

Explain distortion: Exaggerating perception of control

Answer 15

Exaggerate the degree of control we have over our life

Question 16

Explain distortion: We have unrealistic optimism

Answer 16

We think good things are more likely to happen to us, bad things to our neighbors

Question 17

What are the 2 roots of self esteem

Answer 17

Social feedback

Direct experience of efficiency

Question 18

When does self esteem increase

Answer 18

Self -esteem increases from adolescence to middle adulthood peaks at 50-60 HOWEVER is relative stable thoughout life (up and down from base point)

Question 19

What can high self esteem predict

Answer 19

High self-esteem predicts success and well-being in life domains such as relationships, work and health

Question 20

Explain downward vs upward comparrison and the relationship to self esteem

Answer 20

Downward comparison: with people who appearance, health, intelligence, social class wise, are beneath you. You start to feel better about yourself

Upward comparison: someone who achieves more, is more successful. If you can use them as motivation and aspiration, it can help us to feel good about yourself

Question 21

How can comparison give you a good sense of self

Answer 21

We can compare someone similar get a good sense of self

Question 22

How do those with inflated self-esteems react when threatened

Answer 22

People whose inflated favorable self-esteem is threaten often react by putting others down, sometimes with violence

Question 23

Explain the vicious cycle of low self esteem

Answer 23

Start with negative view about themselves and the world

Turn into negative expectations about what things about to happen

Leads to low effort, high anxiety
If you think “I am going to fail this anyway”, it will lead to less studying

Low efforts leads to failure

People self blame for failure, and leads back to low self esteem

Question 24

What is self awerness

Answer 24

Refers to the state in which one’s attention is focused on oneself and is comparing self with a set of standards

Question 25

Explain state vs trait condition

Answer 25

State: momentarily you become highly aware of yourself

Trait condition: personality characteristic, tendency