Chapter 5

Self-Concept and Self-Processes

1. Describe the difference between the “I” and the “me,” and explain the various types of
selves that comprise the self-concept.

Based on what I have learned, the "I self" is what William James, the great American
psychologist and philosopher perceives as a thinking self. For him, this was the aspect of
himself that was fully self-aware. The empirical self, also referred to as the "me self," is the self
that describes a person's own experiences. The material self, the spiritual self, the social self,
and the true self are the subcategories.

The material self based on the context is the extension of the self into the body, clothes,
and possessions; social self is the part of the self related to group membership; spiritual self is a
person’s moral center; and the true self is the person you really are.

2. Discuss the positives and negatives of self-esteem, and the difference between explicit
and implicit self-esteem.

Self-esteem refers to how you believe and respect yourself both the inside and the
outside, as well as how you relate to other people. It is also connected to how you believe
people see, treat, and value you. Low self-esteem makes people feel less confident in their
skills and can make them question their judgment. Because they don't think they can succeed,
they could lack the motivation to try innovative things. People with poor self-esteem could
struggle in relationships and with communicating their needs. Additionally, they could lack
confidence and feel unlovable and undeserving. People with high self-esteem may overestimate
their abilities and feel entitled to success even when they lack the skills to support their
confidence in themselves. Because they are so concentrated on viewing themselves as ideal,
they may struggle with interpersonal problems and prevent themselves from improving. The
explicit form of self-esteem is determined by what we say about ourselves, but implicit
self-esteem is determined by automatic behaviors, such as how we relate terms with positive or
negative connotations to ourselves.

3. Explain self-discrepancy theory, making sure to detail how our possible selves factor
into our emotional state.

According to the context, two of the most studied forms of possible selves are ought
selves and ideal selves, part of self-discrepancy theory. Ought selves are the person we think
we should be; ideal selves are the people who we want to be. Individuals' thoughts of their
potential selves are what they hope to become, what they would want to become, and what they
fear becoming.