Development of self concept Compiled by;Sara IsmailMental Health ProfessionalInstitute of Professional Psychology

Self-Understanding Self — All characteristics of a person

◦ Self-understanding, self-esteem, self-concept

The Self

Self-Understanding Cognitive representation of the self, substance of self conceptions

Visual self-recognition tests infants

Young children perceive self as external characteristics

Older children recognize difference between inner and outer states

The Self

Self-Recognition in Infancy

Fig. 11.1

Early Childhood Self-understanding

◦ Confusion of self, mind, and body◦ Self-descriptions are physical, concrete, active, and

unrealistic positive overestimations Understanding others

◦ Individual differences in social understanding linked to caregivers

The Self

Early and Late Childhood Self-understanding: 5 key changes

◦ Internal characteristics emphasized◦ More referencing in social descriptions◦ More use of social comparisons◦ Distinguish between real self and ideal self◦ Realistic in self-evaluations

Understanding others◦ Increased perspective taking

The Self

Self-Understanding in Adolescence

Abstract and idealistic Self-conscious; preoccupied with self Contradictions within the self – multiple roles in different contexts realized

Fluctuating self over time and situations Compare real and ideal selves

◦ Possible selves: what persons may be, would like to be, and are afraid of becoming

Self-integration in sense of identity

The Self

Changes in Self-Understanding in Adulthood Self-Awareness

◦ Awareness of strengths and weaknesses◦ Improves in young and middle adulthood

Possible Selves◦ Get fewer and more concrete with age◦ Some revise throughout adulthood

Life Review◦ Some in middle age, common in older adults◦ Evaluations of successes and failures

The Self

The Role of Perspective-Taking Perspective-taking — ability to assume another’s perspective and understand his or her thoughts and feelings

Important in children developing prosocial and antisocial attitudes and behaviors

Affects peer status and quality of friendships

The Self

(Selman, 1980) Perspective Taking

◦ The ability to assume another person’s perspective and understand his or her thoughts and feelings.

◦ Perspective taking develops through five stages, ranging from 3 years of age (the egocentric viewpoint) through adolescence (in-depth perspective taking)

◦ Perspective taking increases self-understanding and improves peer group status and the quality of friendships.

Self-UnderstandingSelman’s Stages of Perspective Taking

Self-Esteem and Self-Concept Self-esteem

◦ Global evaluative dimension of the self◦ Same as self-worth or image

Self-concept ◦ Domain-specific evaluations of the self

Distinct - not really interchangeable

The Self

Terms of “Self” Self-esteem ~ how much we believe ourselves to be competent, successful, significant, and worthy

Self-concept ~ perception of self

Self-worth ~ overall value that one places on oneself as a person

Self-worth Evolves Developmentally Early Childhood

• Cannot make meaningful judgments about self-worth.• Have difficulty discerning between cognitive, physical, and social competence.

Mid-late Childhood

• Begin to make meaningful judgments about self-worth.• Better able to distinguish between constructs of scholastic competence, athletic competence, peer social acceptance, physical appearance, and behavioral conduct.• Physical appearance and social acceptance are most important constructs of global self-worth.

Harter, 1988

Self-worth Evolves DevelopmentallyAdolescence

• Additional constructs emerge: friendship, romantic appeal, job competence.• Additional major contributors to global self-worth: Parent, friend, classmate, and teacher support.

College Age

• Global self-worth becomes a function of perceived self-worth in areas most important to the individual.• Additional constructs emerge: intellectual ability, creativity, close friendships, relationships, sense of humor, morality. • Additional major contributors to global self-worth: Intimate relationships, adequacy as a provider.

Adulthood • Additional major contributors to global self-worth: Nurturance, house-hold management.

Harter, 1988

Self-Esteem Across the Lifespan

Prenatal Development

Fig. 11.4

Self-Regulation Ability to control one’s behavior without having to rely on others for help

Includes self-generation and cognitive monitoring of thoughts

Self-regulation linked to higher achievement and satisfaction over the lifespan

The Self

Self-Regulation in Infancy and Early Childhood

12-18 months

2-3 years

Preschool

Depend on caregivers for reminder signals about acceptable behaviors

Begin to comply with the caregiver’s expectations in the absence of monitoring

Learn to resist temptation and give themselves instructions that keep them focused

The Self

Self-Regulation in Middle/Late Childhood and Adolescence Self-regulation increases from about 5 or 6 years up to 7 or 8 years of age

Across elementary school years, children increase beliefs that behavior is result of own effort and not luck

From 8 to 14 years of age, children increase perception of self-responsibility for failure

The Self

Selective Optimization with Compensation

Successful self-regulation in aging linked to◦ Selection: reduction in performance

◦ Optimization: continue practice, use of technology

◦ Compensation: concealment; offsetting or counterbalancing a deficiency

The Self

Personal Control Primary control striving

◦ One’s efforts to change external world to fit needs and desires

◦ Attain personal goals, overcome obstacles

Secondary control striving

◦ Targets one’s inner worlds: motivation, emotion, and mental representation

The Self

Changes In Primary and Secondary Control Strategies Across the Life Span

The Self

Fig. 11.6

Important findings Teachers of young children play a vital role in helping children develop foundational self-regulation skills.

Fortunately, young children’s everyday experiences offer abundant opportunities for developing self-regulation.

Teachers can take advantage of these opportunities by • identifying each child’s self-regulation zone of proximal development and planning the kinds of modeling, hints, and cues the child needs to continue his or her development,

• watching for opportunities in everyday classroom experiences to scaffold self-regulation

• withdrawing direct support as children begin to demonstrate new skills, and

• monitoring children’s activities to ensure they are successful.

Conclusion When teachers deliberately teach self-regulation as part of everyday experiences, they help children become actively engaged learners, laying the foundation for years of future success in school and life.