Week 24: Relationships and Self-Identity Flashcards
What is the central psychological question of selfhood?
How does a person apprehend and understand who he or she is?
List the three central metaphors for the self.
- Social actor
- Motivated agent
- Autobiographical author
At what age does the sense of self as a social actor begin to emerge?
Around the age of 18 months
What is reflexivity in human selfhood?
The process by which the ‘I’ encounters and makes sense of itself (the ‘Me’)
Define narrative identity.
The internalized story of the self that integrates past, present, and future experiences.
True or False: The self as a motivated agent acts solely based on external influences.
False
What developmental milestone occurs by age 4 regarding self-perception?
Children begin to recognize themselves in mirrors and use terms like ‘me’ and ‘mine’.
What are the Big Five personality traits?
- Extraversion
- Neuroticism
- Agreeableness
- Conscientiousness
- Openness to experience
What role do social emotions play in the development of the self as a social actor?
They inform the social actor about their performance in the group.
Fill in the blank: The self as a social actor is primarily concerned with _______.
[traits and roles]
What does being a motivated agent entail?
Acting with direction and purpose to pursue self-chosen goals.
At what age do most children acquire a theory of mind?
By the age of 4
What is the significance of the ‘age 5-to-7 shift’ in child development?
Children begin to construct the self as a motivated agent.
How do children express their self-conceptions by the time they reach fifth grade?
They attribute complex traits to themselves and recognize important social roles.
True or False: Broad traits are easily changed through psychotherapy.
False
What influences the development of the self as a motivated agent?
The understanding that behavior is often motivated by inner desires and goals.
What psychological categories do people generally focus on when working on self-improvement?
- Social actor
- Motivated agent
- Autobiographical author
What do traits and roles represent in the context of the self as a social actor?
Traits represent perceived consistencies in social performance, while roles capture important structured relationships.
Fill in the blank: The philosopher _______ described the self as a reflexive project.
[Charles Taylor]
How does the self as an autobiographical author contribute to self-understanding?
By creating a narrative that integrates past experiences and future aspirations.
What is the relationship between social acceptance and evolutionary survival?
Individuals who do not get along well in social groups typically face challenges in survival and reproduction.
What is theory of mind and at what age does it typically develop?
The understanding that other people’s behavior is often motivated by inner desires and goals, typically develops by age 4.
What is the age 5-to-7 shift in child development?
A developmental period where children become more planful, intentional, and systematic in their pursuit of valued goals.
How does schooling impact children during the age 5-to-7 shift?
Schooling reinforces the shift by placing demands on students to work hard, adhere to schedules, focus on goals, and achieve success.
What factors contribute to children’s self-esteem during the elementary school years?
Their relative success in achieving cherished goals and the belief that they are making good progress.
What is the developmental challenge of identity in adolescence according to Erikson?
Establishing a psychologically efficacious identity by exploring options for life goals, values, vocations, and relationships.
What does committing to an integrated suite of life goals and values signify for adolescents?
It is considered one of the greatest achievements for the self as a motivated agent.
How does identity achievement evolve according to Erikson?
Identity achievement is provisional and continues to develop as individuals move into midlife, often changing goals and priorities.
What roles do the self as actor, agent, and author play in identity development?
They correspond to changing traits and roles, values and life goals, and constructing a narrative identity, respectively.
What is narrative identity?
An internalized and evolving story of the self that reconstructs the past and anticipates the future, providing unity, meaning, and purpose.
What is autobiographical reasoning?
The ability to derive substantive conclusions about the self from analyzing personal experiences, typically developed in adolescence.
What is the significance of storytelling in adolescence and young adulthood?
It helps individuals author a narrative sense of self and refine their identity through sharing and reflecting on experiences.
What role does culture play in shaping narrative identity?
Culture provides favored plot lines, themes, and character types for constructing self-defining life stories.
What are redemptive narratives and their cultural significance in America?
Stories that track the move from suffering to enhanced status, often seen in the American dream and popular media.
True or False: Redemptive narratives are universally beneficial across all cultures.
False.
What key aspects should one consider to ‘know thyself’ in mature adulthood?
Apprehending social traits and roles, pursuing valued goals, and constructing a coherent life story.
Fill in the blank: The ability to derive conclusions about the self from personal experiences is known as _______.
[autobiographical reasoning]
What is the Big Five in personality traits?
A taxonomy encompassing:
* Extraversion vs. introversion
* Neuroticism vs. emotional stability
* Agreeable vs. disagreeableness
* Conscientiousness
What is autobiographical reasoning?
The ability to derive substantive conclusions about the self from analyzing one’s own personal experiences.
Typically developed in adolescence.
What are the categories encompassed by the Big Five personality traits?
- Extraversion vs. introversion
- Neuroticism vs. emotional stability
- Agreeable vs. disagreeableness
- Conscientiousness vs. nonconscientiousness
- Openness to experience vs. conventionality
Derived from studies of trait ratings in adulthood.
Define the ego according to Sigmund Freud.
An executive self in the personality that observes outside reality, engages in rational thought, and copes with competing demands of inner desires and moral standards.
How does Erik Erikson define identity?
A developmental task for late adolescence and young adulthood involving exploring alternative roles, values, goals, and relationships, and committing to a realistic agenda for life.
It entails commitments to new social roles and reevaluation of old traits.
What is narrative identity?
An internalized and evolving story of the self designed to provide life with some measure of temporal unity and purpose.
What are redemptive narratives?
Life stories that affirm the transformation from suffering to an enhanced status or state.
Highly prized in American culture as models for the good self.
What does reflexivity refer to in the context of selfhood?
The idea that the self reflects back upon itself; the I encounters the Me.
What does the self as autobiographical author mean?
The sense of the self as a storyteller who reconstructs the past and imagines the future to articulate an integrative narrative.
Define the self as motivated agent.
The sense of the self as an intentional force striving to achieve goals, plans, values, and projects.
What does the self as social actor entail?
The sense of the self as an embodied actor whose social performances are construed in terms of consistent self-ascribed traits and social roles.
What is self-esteem?
The extent to which a person feels worthy and good, influenced by success or failure in pursuing valued goals.
Define social reputation.
The traits and social roles that others attribute to an actor.
What is the Age 5-to-7 Shift?
Cognitive and social changes in early elementary school years leading to a more purposeful, planful, and goal-directed approach to life.
What does the ‘I’ represent in self-concept?
The self as knower, the subject who encounters itself (the Me).
What does the ‘Me’ signify?
The self as known, the object or target of the I’s knowledge and work.
What is the theory of mind?
The understanding that other people have minds containing desires and beliefs that motivate behavior.
Emerges around the age of 4.
Why are relationships essential to well-being?
Relationships are essential to well-being because they contribute to happiness and health.
List different forms of relationships.
- Family
- Friends
- Colleagues
- Lovers
What are the different aspects of well-being?
- Happiness
- Health
- Life satisfaction
- Positive feelings
- Low negative feelings
How can relationships enhance well-being?
Relationships can provide intimacy, comfort, relief from stress, and accountability.
True or False: Relationships always enhance well-being.
False
What is the basic human need discussed in the text?
The need to belong.
What does subjective well-being encompass?
- High life satisfaction
- Positive feelings
- Low negative feelings
What are objective social variables?
Objective social variables are based on evidence and focus on the presence and frequency of relationships.
Give an example of a subjective social variable.
Social support.
What is social integration?
Social integration is one’s degree of integration into social networks.
What is the scientific term for happiness in psychology?
Subjective well-being.
Fill in the blank: The presence of _______ is an important consideration when understanding relationships’ influence on well-being.
relationships
What can a lack of social connections lead to?
Loneliness and depression.
What is ostracism?
Ostracism is a form of social rejection and isolation.
How does the quality of relationships affect well-being?
Higher quality relationships are associated with increased happiness.
What is a common measure of well-being?
The Satisfaction with Life Scale.
What aspect of health is considered when examining well-being?
Being free of illness or infirmity.
True or False: Happiness depends solely on having many friends.
False
What did researchers find about the happiest students?
They were much more satisfied with their relationships.
What practices can lead to a temporary loss of social contact in some societies?
Shunning.
What did the research by Walen and Luchman (2000) investigate?
The effects of relationships on different components of subjective well-being.
What is a common misconception about relationships and happiness?
That having many friends guarantees happiness.
What type of relationships are associated with increased happiness for both teenagers and adults?
High quality relationships between parents and children
(Gohm, Oishi, Darlington, & Diener, 1998; Amato & Afifi, 2006)