THE SELF IN

PSYCHOLOGY
William James
Self : Two (2) Aspects
•I
• The thinking, acting, and feeling self.
• The one who acts and decides (Carl Rogers, TOP)
• ME
• The physical characteristics as well as psychological
capabilities that makes who you are.
• What you think or feel about yourself as an object
(Carl Rogers, TOP)
Other Concepts of the Self
• IDENTITY
• composed of one’s personal characteristics, social roles
and responsibilities, as well as affiliations that defines
who one is.
• SELF-CONCEPT
• what comes to your mind when you are asked about
who you are
 SELF, IDENTITY, AND
SELF-CONCEPT ARE NOT
FIXED IN ONE TIME
FRAME.
 HOBBIES

FAMILY SELF RELIGION

NATIONALITY
THEORIES GENERALLY SEE
THE SELF, IDENTITY AND
SELF-CONCEPT AS MENTAL
CONSTRUCTS.
 THE FRONTAL LOBE OF THE
BRAIN AS THE SPECIFIC AREA
IN THE BRAIN ASSOCIATED
WITH PROCESSES
CONCERNING THE SELF.
 The Theory of Symbolic
Interactionism says that the
self is created and
developed through human
interaction. (G.H. Mead)
 3 REASONS
(Self and Identity as Social Products)
•We do not create ourselves out
of nothing. Society helped in
creating the foundations of who
we are and even if we make our
choices.
 3 REASONS
(Self and Identity as Social Products)
•We need others to affirm and
reinforce who we think we
are. They serve as our
reference points about our
identity.
 3 REASONS
(Self and Identity as Social Products)
•What we think as important
to us may also have been
influenced by what is
important in our social or
historical context.
 THEREFORE

•Social interaction and group

affiliation are vital factors in
creating our self-concept.
•When we are aware of
our self-concept, it is
called self-awareness.
 2 TYPES OF SELF-AWARENESS
•The Private Self
•The Public Self
 SELF-SCHEMA OF SELF- AWARENESS

•The Actual Self

•The Ideal Self
•The Ought Self
 SELF-SCHEMA OF SELF- AWARENESS
•The Actual Self
•who you are at the moment

•The Ideal Self

•who you like to be

•The Ought Self

•who we think we should be
•Self-awareness may be
positive or negative
depending on the
circumstances.
•Self-awareness can keep
you from doing
something dangerous.
•Self-awareness can be too
much that we are concerned
about being observed and
criticized by others, also
known as self-consciousness.
 THEREFORE

•Group identity and self-

awareness also has a great
impact on our self-esteem.
•One way that affects our
self-esteem is through
social comparison.
•Social comparison theory tells
that we learn about ourselves,
the appropriateness of our
behaviors and our social status
by comparing aspects of
ourselves with other people.
DOWNWARD SOCIAL COMPARISON

•Comparing ourselves with

others who are worse off
than us wherein we are
able to rise our self-
esteem.
UPWARD SOCIAL COMPARISON

•Comparing ourselves
with others who are
better off than us.
•While it can be a form of
motivation for some, a lot of
those who do this actually
felt lower self-esteem as we
highlight more of our
weakness or inequities.
•Social comparison
theory entails self-
evaluation maintenance
theory.
 SELF-EVALUATION THEORY

•When we can feel

threatened when someone
out-performs us,
especially when that
person is close to us.
 REACTIONS

•Distance ourselves from

that person or redefine
our relationship with
them.
 REACTIONS

•Reconsider the
importance of the aspect
or skill in which you were
out-performed.
 REACTIONS

•Strengthen or resolve to
improve that certain
aspect of ourselves.
•Attempt to raise self-
concept may result to
narcissism to some
people.
Thank you!
Questions?