Self Concept

By
Rabia Umer
MS Clinical Psychology
 INTRODUCTION TO SELF
 Have you ever been at a noisy gathering-struggling
to have a conversation over music and the chatter
of voices and yet managed to hear someone at the
other end of the room mention your name?
 The tendency of people to pick a personally
relevant stimulus, like a name, out of a complex and
noisy environment (Cherry, 1953; Wood & Cowan,
1995).
 Even infants who are too young to walk or talk
exhibit this tendency (Newman, 2005).
 To the cognitive psychologist, this phenomenon
shows that human beings are selective in their
attention.
 UNDERSTANDING SELF
 Self understanding is the awareness and ability to
understand one’s own thoughts and actions.
 To attain the insight into your attitudes, motives,
reactions, weaknesses and strengths.
 It is a subjective sense of the self & a complex
mixture of unconscious & conscious
thoughts, attitudes & perceptions.
 Understanding self represents the sum total of
people’s conscious perception of their identity as
distinct from others.
 It is not a static phenomenon, but continues to
develop & change throughout our lives.
 IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING SELF
 Key competency for individuals to function
efficiently in organizations.
 Influences individual’s ability to make key
decisions about self and others around.
 Equips individuals with making more effective
career & life choices, the ability to lead, guide
& inspire with authenticity.
 SELF CONCEPT
 The set of beliefs that we hold about who we are
is called the self concept.
 It can also be defined as the sum total of an
individual’s beliefs about his or her own personal
attributes.
 It is basically the individuals image of the kind of
person he or she is. Especially included in this
are the awareness of being (What I am) and
awareness of function (What I can do).
 Self concept includes not only our perceptions of
what we are but also what we think, we ought to be
and would like to be. This latter component of the
self is called the ideal self. The ideal self represents
the self concept that an individual would ideally
want to posses.
 TWO WAYS IN WHICH WE PERCEIVE OURSELVES
POSITIVE SELF CONCEPT:
 People with positive self concept
believe in themselves, are
confident about their ability to deal
with problems, make decisions,
feel equal to others, have respect
for themselves and expect it from
others.
 These are people who are realistic
in their assessment of themselves
and can admit to a wide range of
feelings, behaviours and needs.
NEGATIVE SELF CONCEPT:
 If people see themselves as failures and
have a negative, pessimistic image of
themselves, they will begin to act the
part.
Negative feelings feed on themselves
and become a downward spiral,
gradually encompassing all of the
people’s thoughts, actions and
relationships.
People with negative self concepts tend
to complain constantly and find it difficult
to accept criticism.
Like other belief systems, the self concept includes

1.Cognitive aspect
2. Behavioral aspect
3. Affective aspect
 COGNITIVE ASPECT: SELF SCHEMA
 Self
schemas are “cognitive generalizations
about the self, derived from past
experience, that organize and guide the
processing of self-related information”
Cont…
We all have ideas and beliefs about other people, but
we also hold the same sort of impressions about
ourselves.
The term schema refers to the cognitive structures we
have to describe various categories of knowledge about
the world, and like many other things, we also hold
schemas about ourselves.
In psychology, these are known as self-schemas.
 BEHAVIORAL ASPECT : SELF PERCEPTION
 Self
perception theory reflects that we
observe our behavior and the situation in
which it took place, make attributions about
why the behavior occurred and draw
conclusions about our own characteristics.
AFFECTIVE/EVALUATIVE ASPECT : SELF ESTEEM
“Self esteem reflects the perceived difference
between an individual’s actual self concept
(who I think I really am) and some ideal self
image (who I would really like to be).”
Development of self
 Building up self concept is primary factor of
effective personality and behaviour. The four steps
to build-up self concept are as follows:

1. Self awareness
2. Self acceptance
3. Self realization
4. Self disclosure
 SELF AWARENESS
 Our attention is sometimes directed outward
towards the environment and sometimes it is
focused inward on ourselves.
 Certain experiences in the world automatically
focus attention inwards, such as catching sight
of ourselves in the mirror, having our picture
taken.
 We begin to think of ourselves not as moving
actors in the environment but as objects of our
own and others’ attention. Experiencing oneself
as an objects of our own and others’ attention is
called self awareness.
 SELF ACCEPTANCE
 Being aware of who we really are, rather than the
person we would wish to be and accept our self.
 According to Shepard (1979), self-acceptance is an
individual's satisfaction or happiness with oneself,
and is thought to be necessary for good mental
health.
 Self-acceptance involves self-understanding, a
realistic, though subjective, awareness of one's
strengths and weaknesses.
 It results in an individual's feeling about oneself,
that they are of "unique worth".
 SELF REALIZATION
 The term self realization means to fulfilment of
one's own potential.
 It is realizing our inner potentialities.

 It is a willingness to pursue our ideal-self on our

own, to grow and to change because we think it is
important.
 SELF DISCLOSURE
 Self disclosure is the process of letting another
person know what we think, feel and want, that is
telling others about ourselves.
 It includes all kinds of information: life experiences,
personal circumstances, feelings, dreams, opinions
and so on.
 It involves disclosing our innermost thoughts and
feelings.
 Theories of self concept
Carl Rogers and the Self-Concept Theory of personality:
Carl Rogers posited a theory of how self-concept influences
and indeed, acts as the framework for one’s personality.
The image we have of who we are contributes to our
personality and our actions.
Rogers believed that our personality is driven by our desire
for self-actualization. This is the condition that emerges
when we reach our full potential and our self-concept, self-
worth, and ideal self all developed..
How we develop our personalities and self-concepts varies,
thus creating the unique individuals we are.
Self-Concept Maintenance Theory
Self-concept maintenance refers to how people maintain or
enhance their sense of self. It is relatively fixed after a person
reaches adulthood, but it can be change based on the person’s
experiences.
The theory of self-concept maintenance states that we do not
simply sit and wait for our self-concept to develop: we take an
active role in shaping our self-concept at all ages (whether we
are aware of this or not).
Although there are different theories about the processes of
self-concept maintenance, but it generally concerns:
Our evaluations of self
Our comparison of our actual selves with our ideal selves
Our actions taken to move closer to our ideal selves.
Ways to nurture your child’s self-concept:
A child’s self-concept begins to develop at birth.
It begins with how adults respond to her.
Parents and caregivers create a positive emotional
bond with an infant through warm and caring
interactions.
This positive emotional bond with parents and
caregivers promotes a child’s healthy self-concept.
Cont…
As the child grows, her ability to interact successfully
with her environment nurtures a healthy self-concept.
This is critically important in early childhood.
The development of a positive self-concept at an early
age empowers the child to feel competent, try new
things, and strive for success.
As parents, we have the opportunity (and
responsibility) to nurture a positive self-concept in our
children.
What can parents do to nurture a positive self-concept?
Cont….
1. Be mindful of the language you use to describe
your children. Do not label them with words such as
‘lazy’, ‘naughty’, ‘aggressive’ or ‘mean’. Instead, look
for and point out your child’s strengths.
Cont…
2. Provide them with opportunities for success. Give
your child age-appropriate tasks she can complete on her
own. Having done so will give her a sense of pride and
help build a “can do” mentality.
3. Show your children that you have faith in their
goodness and abilities. This is a matter of language
choice. For example, if your toddler, out of frustration,
hits another child, you might say, “You naughty girl!
How can you be so mean! I can’t believe you hit him!
You’re in big trouble!” Or, you could say, “You got
frustrated and hit him. It’s not ok to hit. I know you
didn’t mean to hurt him.
Cont…
4. Spend time together. A vital part of having a healthy
self-concept is feeling loved and valued. Spend this time
doing something fun and enjoyable for both of you, and
avoid criticisms or lectures during this quality time.
Cont….
5. Support your child’s interests. Learn what your child is
interested in and support him in mastering that skill or
accomplishing his desired level of achievement. Feeling
competent and good at something grows a positive self-
concept.
Cont….
6. Set reasonable rules and enforce them with loving
kindness. Your rules should be age-appropriate and
clear. These help your child to feel safe and learn how to
manage herself. However, enforcing them with a heavy
hand when your child steps out of bounds can actually
erode the self-concept. It’s important to make sure your
child knows that mistakes are a part of life and doesn’t
mean she’s a bad person. When giving consequences,
keep your child’s dignity in mind.
Cont…
7. Help your child to manage his emotions and work out
problems. This is why problem-solving is such a big part
of positive parenting. When children learn to solve their
own problems, they build confidence and, therefore, a
positive self-concept. Learning to manage emotions is
key to having the ability to step back from a situation
and view it objectively.
Cont…
8. Maintain a connected relationship. Being connected
keeps the lines of communication open, and this is
especially important as your child grows into
adolescence. Knowing that she has you to talk to, that
you will listen without casting out immediate judgment
and take her feelings seriously, will help her to feel
supported, safe, and important.
Cont…
9. Give her the opportunity to explore her environment,
ask questions without feeling like a nuisance, and
engage in make-believe play activities. Children are
curious and imaginative, and we must be careful not to
squash those traits. To nurture curiosity and
imagination, allow sufficient time for free play and
exploration.
Cont…
10. Acknowledge effort and offer encouragement.
Children need to know that first place isn’t the goal, but
that personal best is a win, no matter what place that
lands them. As she grows, her own self-evaluation will
become important to her self-concept, and she needs to
learn how to emphasize her strengths and
accomplishments, even if there is no trophy in the end.
Cont…
A healthy self-concept is the foundation for the
positive development and the over-all well-being of a
child. When a child has a healthy self-concept, he sees
himself as being loved, loving, and valuable, and that’s
what we all want for our children.
PERSONALITY
Personality can be defined as a dynamic and
organized set of characteristics possessed by a
person that uniquely influences his or her
cognitions, motivations, and behaviors in
various situations. The word "personality"
originates from the Latin persona, which means
mask.
Theories of Personality
1. Trait Theories
2. Psychoanalytic Theory
3. Social-Cognitive Theories
4. Humanistic Theories
5. Behavioral Personality
Theory
Types of Personality Theories
Trait Theories: Attempt to learn what traits make up personality
and how they relate to actual behavior
Psychodynamic Theories: Focus on the inner workings of
personality, especially internal conflicts and struggles
Humanistic Theories: Focus on private, subjective experience
and personal growth
Social-Cognitive Theories: Attribute difference in personality to
socialization, expectations, and mental processes
Behavioral personality theories: Behavioral theorists study
observable and measurable behaviors, rejecting theories that take
internal thoughts, moods, and feelings play a part as these cannot be
measured
Part 1
Trait Theories
 Jung’s Theory of Two Types
Carl Jung, Swiss psychiatrist who was a Freudian
follower, believed that we are one of two
personality types:

•Introvert: Shy, self-centered person whose

attention is focused inward

•Extrovert: Bold, outgoing person whose attention is

directed outward
Eysenck’s Three Factor Theory
Hans Eysenck, English psychologist, believed
that there are three fundamental factors in
personality:
• Introversion versus Extroversion
• Emotionally Stable versus Unstable
• Impulse Control versus Psychotic
 Eysenck’s Theory
The first two factors create 4 combinations, related to the four
basic temperaments recognized by ancient Greeks:
• Melancholic (introverted + unstable): sad, depressing
• Choleric (extroverted + unstable): hot-tempered, irritable
• Phlegmatic (introverted + stable): slow, calm
• Sanguine (extroverted + stable): cheerful, hopeful
Cattell: Source & Surface
Traits
Raymond Cattell: From Devon, England,
believed that there are two basic categories
of traits:
• Surface Traits: Features that make up
the visible areas of personality
• Source Traits: Underlying
characteristics of a personality
Cattell: The Big Five
Cattell believed that five factors are most important:
 Openness
 Conscientiousness
 Extraversion
 Agreeableness
 Neuroticism
 Openness to experience- Inventive/Curious vs.
Consistent/Cautious
Openness to experience refers to a person's accepted level
of imagination and includes multiple experiences like
appreciating art, experiencing various emotions and
taking up adventurous ideas. Someone who is inventive
and curious is likely to have a more active intellectual
thought process and multiple/different ways of dealing
with a situation or problem.
Conscientiousness: Efficient/ Organized vs. Easy-
going/ Careless 
It represents a planned and organized approach rather than
spontaneity and randomness. A 'structured' person puts great
value on order and control which reflects a way of
approaching tasks. For example, such a person plans a project
to the last detail, in a precise manner. In certain extreme
cases, it appears somewhat obsession or overly perfectionist.
A 'low structured' person has a more relaxed and casual
approach to life. As long as jobs are completed, they do not
worry about systems or schedules or organization and can
sometimes appear disorganized. They may miss important
details or be late for appointments. In a managerial sense,
they prefer the over-view or strategic approach, rather than
the detail-oriented approach of a project.
Extraversion: Outgoing/Energetic vs.
Solitary/Reserved
Extraversion implies energy, positive emotions,
forcefulness, friendliness and talkativeness. The
extrovert person is sociable, outgoing and attracted to
others. However, extroverts can be impulsive and
sometimes take risks without weighing the odds.
Contrarily, an introvert is less concerned with others
and is more inward-looking. Generally, they have a
moderate outlook and a cautious approach to work, but
lack excitement. Introverts do not want to be 'in charge'
nor do they seek limelight. More often, their attitude is
one of a personal challenge (the inner game), rather
than competition with others.
Agreeableness: Friendly/Compassionate vs.
Cold/Unkind 
The ability to show compassion and co-operation.
It is a personality trait that can help you be a good-
natured person in the workplace. Giving a cold
shoulder to people you encounter on a regular basis
may not go down well and may obstruct your work
and progress in the long and short run.
Neuroticism: Sensitive/Nervous vs. Secure/Confident
It refers to emotional stability, control over emotions and
impulses, a tendency for anger, nervousness, despair, or
susceptibility. Those with self-confidence are relaxed,
optimistic, enjoy responsibility and like to be tested. Under
pressure, they react calmly and in an organized way, and have
faith in their coping ability. At work, they can deal with
unexpected events easily, and present their views confidently.
Those with low confidence or emotional instability have
difficulty coping with stress. While they can assume
responsibility, they may find it to be a tension. They also
question their abilities, and show pessimism. At workplace,
they like predictability and avoid complex, open-ended
situations. It suggests that routine jobs in large, supportive
organizations are more likely to suit them.
Psychoanalytic Perspective Of
Personality

SIGMUND FREUD
 Role of Consciousness
 The preconscious consists of anything that could
potentially be brought into the conscious mind.
 The conscious mind contains all of the thoughts,
memories, feelings and wishes of which we are aware at
any given moment.
 The unconscious mind is a reservoir of feelings,
thoughts, urges, and memories that are outside of our
conscious awareness. The unconscious mostly contains
contents that are unacceptable or unpleasant, such as
feelings of pain, anxiety, or conflict.
 Model Of Personality
Elements Of Personality (Freud’s View):
• The Id

• The Ego

• The Superego
 ID
• Primary component of personality
• Pleasure principle
• Strives for immediate satisfaction of all desires,
needs, wants
• For example, if an infant feels hungry, he will cry
till his want is satisfied.
 EGO
• Responsible for dealing with reality
• Reality principle weighs the cost of doing or
discard something
• Discharges tension by finding the object in the
real world created by Id.
 SUPER EGO
• Holds of our internalized moral standards that
we acquire from parents, society.
• Has two parts:-
1. The ego Ideal
Good Behaviors
2. The Conscience
Bad Behaviors
 Defense Mechanisms
• A defense mechanism is a tactic developed by
the ego to protect against anxiety. Defense
mechanisms are thought to safeguard the
mind against feelings and thoughts that are
too difficult for the conscious mind to cope
with.
•
Repression
• The removal of threatening thoughts from awareness
Projection
• The attribution of unacceptable impulses to others
Denial
• The refusal to recognize a threatening situation or thought
Rationalization
• Giving a reasonable explanation for an event
Regression
• The return to a less mature, anxiety reducing behavior
Reaction formation
• The expression of the opposite of disturbing ideas
Displacement
• Substituting a less threatening object for impulses
Sublimation
The channeling of impulses to socially acceptable
outlets.
Part 3
Social-Cognitive Theories
 Bandura’s Theory
Self-system: the set of cognitive processes by which a person
observes, evaluates, and regulates his/her behavior. Bandura
proposed that what we think of as personality is a product of this
self-system.

Children observe behavior of models (such as parents) in their

social environment. Particularly if they are reinforced, children
will imitate these behaviors, incorporating them into personality.

Bandura also proposed that people observe their own behavior

and judge its effectiveness. Self-efficacy: a judgment of one’s
effectiveness in dealing with particular situations.
 Rotter’s Theory of Locus of
Control
Julian Rotter: American psychologist, began as a Freudian!
His personality theory combines learning principles, modeling,
cognition, and the effects of social relationships

External locus of control: perception that chance or

external forces beyond personal control determine one’s
destiny

Internal locus of control: perception that you control your

own fate (destiny).

Learned Helplessness: a sense of hopelessness in which a

person thinks that he/she is unable to prevent aversive
events
 Part 4
Humanistic Theories
 Humanism
Humanism: Approach that focuses on human experience,
problems, potentials, and ideals
Human Nature: Traits, qualities, potentials, and behavior
patterns most characteristic of humans
Free Choice: Ability to choose that is NOT controlled by
genetics, learning, or unconscious forces
Subjective Experience: Private perceptions of reality
 Maslow’s Theory
• Abraham Maslow is considered father of the humanistic
movement. He observed the lives of healthy and
creative people to develop this theory.
• Hierarchy of needs: the motivational component
of Maslow’s theory, in which our innate needs, which
motivate our actions, are hierarchically arranged.
• Self-actualization: the fullest realization of a
person’s potential
Graphic: Hierarchy of Needs
Characteristics of Self-Actualized
People
• Efficient perceptions of reality
• Comfortable acceptance of self, others, and nature
• Spontaneity
• Task Centering
• Autonomy
• Continued freshness of appreciation
• Fellowship with humanity
• Profound interpersonal relationships
• Comfort with solitude
• Non-hostile sense of humor
• Peak experiences
 Carl Roger’s Self Theory
 Carl Rogers: American psychologist; believed that
personality formed as a result of our strivings to reach our full
human potential.
 Fully Functioning Person: Lives in harmony with his/her
deepest feelings and impulses
 Self-Image: Total subjective perception of your body and
personality
 Conditions of Worth: behaviors and attitudes for which other
people, starting with our parents, will give us positive regard.
 Unconditional Positive Regard: Unshakable love and approval
 Positive Self-Regard: Thinking of oneself as a good, lovable,
worthwhile person
 Part 5
BehavioralPersonality
Theory
 Behavioral Personality Theory
Behavioral theories suggest that personality is a result of
interaction between the individual and the environment.
Behavioral theorists study observable and measurable
behaviors, rejecting theories that take internal thoughts
and feelings into account.
 B. F. Skinner's Theory of
behavior
• Skinner's theory is based on operant conditioning,
which means when the organism is operating on the
environments, the organism will encounter a
special kind of reinforcing stimulus or simply a
reinforcement.
• Reinforcement increases a behavior and punishment
decreases or ends it.
THANKS