WEEK 2 - The self Flashcards
What is self-perception
One way we come to know ourselves is by observing our behaviour and making attributions
* What does my behaviour say about me?
self perception theory
- people infer their emotions/ attitudes by observing their bodies and their behaviour
When internal cues are weak, we look at our behaviourand consider the situation - If the situation can’t explain our behaviour, we infer acorresponding internal state
what are the two types of Self-perception motivation
Intrinsic
Extrinsic
What is intrinsic
internal motivation
* doing something out of interest,
enjoyment, challenge
What is extrinsic
external motivation
* doing something for money,
marks, recognition, obligation,
punishment
What is the overjustification effect
- When rewards are introduced for
intrinsically motivated behaviours,
the behaviour becomes over‐justified - We see the rewards and this can
explain our behaviour - We no longer conclude we’re doing it
because we like it
Types of reward
verbal praise vs tangible
Social comparison theory (Festinger, 1954)
- when uncertain about our abilities or opinions, we
evaluate self through comparisons with similar
others
Upwards comparision
Compare self to someone who is better on some
dimension
Downward comparision
Compare self to someone who is worse on some
dimension
How does culture effect the self
Your culture affects the way you view things. Can either be independent or interdependent viewpoint
What is independent view of the self
- Define oneself using own thoughts, feelings
and behaviours - Value independence
- Typical in Western culture
What is Interdependent view of the sel
Define oneself using one’s relationships to
others and that our behaviour is
determined by thoughts, feelings and
behaviours of others
* Value connectedness and interdependence
* Typical in non‐Western cultures
What is Dialecticism
-Interdependent cultures more accepting of contradictory characteristics
- a process that makes use of contradictory statements or ideas to reach an ultimate truth.
What form of culture tends to rate higher in self esteem?
Self‐esteem ratings higher in independent cultures
Culture and the self
What is self esteem
- evaluation of the self
- Individual differences in level and stability
- People are motivated to protect their self
esteem
What is Sociometer Theory (Leary & Baumeister, 2000
answers why we need social inclusion
* Sociometer theory proposes that self-esteem is a psychological gauge of the degree to which people perceive that they are relationally valued and socially accepted by other people.
* Driven by a need for connection and
approval
* Self‐esteem signals level of social
inclusion
What is Terror Management Theory (Greenberg et
al., 1997)
- The terror management theory (TMT) states that people feel threatened by their own death and therefore adopt worldviews that allow them to find meaning and worth in their lives.
- Self‐esteem acts as a buffer against
thought of death
scared of death so we do things or belive things to leave a legacy
What is Self-awareness theory (Carver, 2003)
*self‐focused attention leads us to compare ourselves to internal standards and
values
* not meeting internal standards leads to discomfort
What things can prompt self awarness
People watching us, watching a home video, looking in a mirror
What is self enhancment
people are motivated to feel good about themselves and this can affect their thoughts
and behaviours
what is Better-Than-Average Effect
Most people think highly of themselves
* Biased towards self‐enhancement
* Thinking we are better than we are
* e.g., public speaking and contributions to group work
* This is more likely to occur for important traits
* e.g., honest, kind vs imaginative, outgoing
Self-Enhancement
What are Self-Serving Beliefs
Self‐enhancing recollection, attributions, optimism about ones future
you remember things better and different to how they actually occurred
What seld-verficiation
We want others to see us the way we see ourselves
What are the self esteem concepts
- Sociometer and terror management
theory - Self‐awareness theory
- Self‐enhancement
- Better than average effect
- Self‐serving beliefs
- Self‐verification
What is included in self concepts
- Self‐perception theory - Over‐justification effect
- Social comparison theory
- Culture - Independent vs. Interdependen
