GE 0304 Self Development

and Interpersonal Relationships

Lecture 1 – Self-concept
Instructor – Ng Wai Hung Edward

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What is self-concept?

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Questions we always ask about our self-
concept
 What I look like, what clothes I wear.
 How well I get on with other people, How people seem to like
me.
 How I rate myself against what I see in other people or what I
see in the media
 What other people tell me they think about me
 What I think others think about me
 How well I feel, and that can be in my head or my body.
 How much I do what I know I ought to be doing for my studies,
my health and in my relationships.
 All the things about myself that nobody else knows about

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Self-concept
 your own view of yourself

 it can include:
 How you see yourself
 Your thoughts about yourself
 Your beliefs about yourself
 How you feel about yourself

 The way you see yourself, of course, may be completely

different to how others see you.

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 It is the driving force of thinking and behavior
and it is determined by our values, goals,
competencies, and beliefs.

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 Goals: Those objects or events in the future that we
strive for in order to meet our basic needs. (e.g., the
goal of a high income may be related to several
needs such as security, prestige, and achievement).
 Competencies: The areas of knowledge, ability, and
skill that increase an individual’s effectiveness in
dealing with the world.
 Beliefs: Ideas that people have about the world and
how it operates.
 Values: Our abstract concepts of what is right,
worthwhile, or desirable; preferences.

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Class activity

 List out your current goals, competences,

beliefs and values.

 With reference to the opinions you listed

above, what is your self-concept?

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Models of Self-concept

 Self-concept (also called self-construction,

self-identity or self-perspective) is a multi-
dimensional construct that refers to an
individual's perception of "self" in relation to
any number of characteristics, such as
academics (and non-academics), gender
roles and sexuality, racial identity, and many
others.

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 The self-concept is an internal model which
comprises self-assessments. Features
assessed include but are not limited to:
personality, skills and abilities, occupation(s)
and hobbies, physical characteristics, etc.

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 Another model of self-concept contains three parts:
self-esteem, stability, and self-efficacy.
 Self-esteem is the "evaluative" component—it is
where one makes judgments about his or her self-
worth.
 Stability refers to the organization and continuity of
one's self-concept. Is it constantly in flux? Can
singular, relatively trivial events drastically affect
your self-esteem?
 Self-efficacy is best explained as self-confidence. It
is specifically connected with one's abilities, unlike
self-esteem.

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 Self-categorization Theory
 John Turner
 The self-concept consists of at least two
“levels,” a personal identity and a social
identity.

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 Variation in self-categorization as a function of comparative context.
In Context 1 Amy and Beth self-categorize in terms of lower-level
personal identities that accentuate their differences from each other.
However, in Context 2 the comparative is extended to include more
different others (here men), and Amy and Beth are now more likely
to define themselves in terms of a higher-level social identity. They
hence appear more similar to each other.

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 In other words, people’s self-evaluations rely
on both one’s self-perceptions and how one
fits in socially.
 The self-concept can alternate rapidly
between the personal and social identity.

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