The Self:

Understanding
Ourselves in a
Social Context
Chapter 5

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 The Origins and Nature
of the Self-Concept

The overall set of

beliefs that people
have about their
personal attributes

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Origins of the Self – Mirror Test

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 Origins of the Self – Who am I?
Young Children
• Observable, physical

Older Children
• More detailed, still physical

Teens
• Beliefs, likes, dislikes, relationships

Adults
• Quality of their life, personality

Elderly
• Wisdom, quality of their experiences

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What Makes You, You

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SIDE
EFFECTS
What Makes You, You– What Really
Matters

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What Really Matters

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Cultural Influences
on the Self-Concept

Independent view

Interdependent view

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Self Test - Singelis

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 Singelis Test

Average of 1 – 5  Average of 6 – 10
interdependence  independence

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4 Main Functions of the Self

Self-
Self-control
knowledge

Impression
Self-esteem
management

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  Introspection
Self-Knowledge:
 Observing self
What am I like?
 Using other people
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Observing the Self: The Two-Factor Theory of
Emotion

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Misattribution
of Arousal

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We may fall in love for all the wrong reasons

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Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

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Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation
Overjustification Effect

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Mindset and Motivation

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 Using Others to Know Own Self

• Social Comparison
Comparing
Theory

Adopting • Social Tuning

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 Social Comparison Theory

Uncertainty

When do you engage

in social comparison?
Absence of objective
standards

Accurate assessment
Similar peers
of abilities
With whom do you
choose to compare Goal dependent
yourself?
Find the top level Better/best peers

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 Social
Comparison
Theory

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Social  The process whereby people adopt another
Tuning person’s attitudes

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Social Tuning

(Adapted from Sinclair, Lowery, Hardin, & Colangelo, 2005)

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Self-Control: The Executive Function of the Self

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Strategies to
Improve
Self-Control

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  We are all like stage actors who are
trying our best to convince the
Impression “audience” (the people around us) that
Management we are a certain way, even if we really
are not.

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Ingratiation Self-handicapping

Impression Management Strategies

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Self-Handicapping

Behavioural self-handicapping
• People act in ways that reduce the likelihood of
success so that if they fail, they can blame it on
obstacles rather than ability.
Reported self-handicapping
• Rather than creating obstacles to success, people
devise ready-made excuses in case they fail.

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Revel Assignment

PreMidterm Assignment 05- Ch 06

Due Date

• 12.11.2023 – 23:00
• Late submissions are not allowed

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