Download - PSY415 Psychology of the Self Week 1 Introduction Week 1 Introduction.

PSY415Psychology of the SelfPSY415Psychology of the Self

Week 1Introduction

Week 1Introduction

Spring 2010 Kürşad Demirutku, Ph.D. 2

Who am I?Who am I?

“Imagine you want someone to know who you are really like. You can tell this person 20 things about yourself. These can include … anything that helps the person know what you are really like. What would you tell them?” (Brown, 1998, p. 20)

What did you ask yourself in your mind and/or considered in writing these statements?

“Imagine you want someone to know who you are really like. You can tell this person 20 things about yourself. These can include … anything that helps the person know what you are really like. What would you tell them?” (Brown, 1998, p. 20)

What did you ask yourself in your mind and/or considered in writing these statements?


The I and METhe I and ME

I see the BOARD vs. I see METhe self as I is the agent of action,

the subject It is not only the mental processes

involved in knowing or our affection toward ourselves, but the awareness of this process of knowing and feeling

ME is the object of one’s attention or knowledge of himself / herself

I see the BOARD vs. I see METhe self as I is the agent of action,

the subject It is not only the mental processes

involved in knowing or our affection toward ourselves, but the awareness of this process of knowing and feeling

ME is the object of one’s attention or knowledge of himself / herself


What Psychologists Mean by Self


ME is also subjective It refers to people’s ideas, beliefs,

thoughts about themselves aboutWHO THEY ARE &WHAT THEY ARE LIKE

These ideas or beliefs are called self-referent thoughts

ME is also subjective It refers to people’s ideas, beliefs,

thoughts about themselves aboutWHO THEY ARE &WHAT THEY ARE LIKE

These ideas or beliefs are called self-referent thoughts




There are two aspects of the METhe way we think about ourselves is

the cognitive component of the self, which is called the self-concept

The way we feel about ourselves is the affective component of the self, which is called the self-esteem

The self is both the I and the ME

There are two aspects of the METhe way we think about ourselves is

the cognitive component of the self, which is called the self-concept

The way we feel about ourselves is the affective component of the self, which is called the self-esteem

The self is both the I and the ME


Self-Concept vs. Self-Esteem

Self-Concept vs. Self-Esteem

“Self-concept is the totality of the individual’s thoughts and feelings with reference to himself as an object, which eventually explains himself, and the world at large, to himself.”(Rosenberg, 1979, p. ix; Steele, 1988, p. 262)

“Self-esteem ... is a positive or negative attitude toward a particular object, namely, the self.”(Rosenberg, 1965, p. 30)

“Self-concept is the totality of the individual’s thoughts and feelings with reference to himself as an object, which eventually explains himself, and the world at large, to himself.”(Rosenberg, 1979, p. ix; Steele, 1988, p. 262)

“Self-esteem ... is a positive or negative attitude toward a particular object, namely, the self.”(Rosenberg, 1965, p. 30)


What is the Self?What is the Self?

There is no consensus on a conceptual definition

Baumeister (1998) highlights three roots of selfhoodReflexive ConsciousnessInterpersonal AspectExecutive Function

There is no consensus on a conceptual definition

Baumeister (1998) highlights three roots of selfhoodReflexive ConsciousnessInterpersonal AspectExecutive Function


Reflexive ConsciousnessReflexive Consciousness

It is the subjective experience of “conscious attention turning back toward its own source and gradually constructing a concept of oneself” (Baumeister, 1998, p. 680)

The self has unity and temporal continuity

It is the subjective experience of “conscious attention turning back toward its own source and gradually constructing a concept of oneself” (Baumeister, 1998, p. 680)

The self has unity and temporal continuity


Interpersonal AspectInterpersonal Aspect

The self is not only constructed subjectively, but it is affected by the social context as well

Self is “vital for making interpersonal relationships and interactions possible” (Baumeister, 1998, p. 680)

The self is not only constructed subjectively, but it is affected by the social context as well

Self is “vital for making interpersonal relationships and interactions possible” (Baumeister, 1998, p. 680)


Executive FunctionExecutive Function

The self is the agent of all actions and the decision-maker (Baumeister, 1998)

Original meaning of the self, as first appeared as a noun in the 14th century English, is “sinner” (Danziger, 1997) What do you think about why it meant so?

Volution, Agency, Responsibility It is the essential source of motivation

to activate or inhibit actions

The self is the agent of all actions and the decision-maker (Baumeister, 1998)

Original meaning of the self, as first appeared as a noun in the 14th century English, is “sinner” (Danziger, 1997) What do you think about why it meant so?

Volution, Agency, Responsibility It is the essential source of motivation

to activate or inhibit actions


Self-Psychology and Personality: The Difference

Self-Psychology and Personality: The Difference

Self-psychology is concerned with subjective experience, whereas personality psychology is more concerned with the objective experience

“I think I am an extraverted person”vs.

“My BFI score indicates that I am extraverted”

Asch (1952) Ego is the representation of the organism Self is the awareness of ego

Self-psychology is concerned with subjective experience, whereas personality psychology is more concerned with the objective experience

“I think I am an extraverted person”vs.

“My BFI score indicates that I am extraverted”

Asch (1952) Ego is the representation of the organism Self is the awareness of ego


Self-Psychology and Personality: The Similarities

Self-Psychology and Personality: The Similarities

What we really are influences how we think about ourselves – not always! Self-aggrandization

What we really are influences how we feel about ourselves Temperament

Self is one aspect of personality cf. individual differences

Self-report is often used to measure personality Rosenberg (1965) Self-Esteem Scale

What we really are influences how we think about ourselves – not always! Self-aggrandization

What we really are influences how we feel about ourselves Temperament

Self is one aspect of personality cf. individual differences

Self-report is often used to measure personality Rosenberg (1965) Self-Esteem Scale


Self-Psychology and Phenomenology

Self-Psychology and Phenomenology

Not the objective but the subjective reality determines our consciousness at a given moment Wertheimer’s (1912) Apparent Movement

Experiment Lewin (1951) argued that objective

world is important to the extent that it affects our subjective perceptions

Our thoughts and feelings about ourselves are subjective as well – the self as perceived

Not the objective but the subjective reality determines our consciousness at a given moment Wertheimer’s (1912) Apparent Movement

Experiment Lewin (1951) argued that objective

world is important to the extent that it affects our subjective perceptions

Our thoughts and feelings about ourselves are subjective as well – the self as perceived


The Study of Self in American PsychologyThe Study of Self in

American Psychology

The Behaviorist MovementPsychology is an experimental

branch of natural science which aims at predicting and controlling behavior by carefully observing phenomena objectively

Positivism and mechanism led the rejection of self as a legitimate subject matter of psychology

The Behaviorist MovementPsychology is an experimental

branch of natural science which aims at predicting and controlling behavior by carefully observing phenomena objectively

Positivism and mechanism led the rejection of self as a legitimate subject matter of psychology



American PsychologyThe Decline of Behaviorism

Cooley (1902) – The Looking-Glass SelfOthers serve as mirrors from which we see

ourselves reflected – perspective takingMead (1934) – Symbolic Interactionism

It is the socialization process in which the self develops – perspective-taking

Maslow (1954) – Self-ActualizationThere is an inborn striving in humans for

growth, which lead to realize the potentialPersonality Theorists – The Concept of

Ego

The Decline of BehaviorismCooley (1902) – The Looking-Glass Self

Others serve as mirrors from which we see ourselves reflected – perspective taking

Mead (1934) – Symbolic InteractionismIt is the socialization process in which the

self develops – perspective-takingMaslow (1954) – Self-Actualization

There is an inborn striving in humans for growth, which lead to realize the potential

Personality Theorists – The Concept of Ego



American Psychology

The Cognitive Revolution“Behavior reeks of purpose.” (Tolman,

1932, p. 12)Whereas behaviorism emphasized

the past history of reinforcement as a determinant of behavior, cognitivism emphasized future planning, choice, and expectations

Self became a legitimate subject matter

The Cognitive Revolution“Behavior reeks of purpose.” (Tolman,

1932, p. 12)Whereas behaviorism emphasized

the past history of reinforcement as a determinant of behavior, cognitivism emphasized future planning, choice, and expectations

Self became a legitimate subject matter


Is there a Self?Is there a Self?

Hilgard (1949) proposed that all (defense) mechanisms imply self-reference (p. 375) Defense mechanisms are defenses against

anxiety – guilt feelings – self as an agent of good or bad choices

Defense mechanisms are self-deceptive – bolstering self-esteem as through self-deception

Self can be investigated in awareness introspectively

Self can be investigated as an external object – Inferred Self “… a pattern of existing habits and attitudes”

(p. 378)

Hilgard (1949) proposed that all (defense) mechanisms imply self-reference (p. 375) Defense mechanisms are defenses against

anxiety – guilt feelings – self as an agent of good or bad choices

Defense mechanisms are self-deceptive – bolstering self-esteem as through self-deception

Self can be investigated in awareness introspectively

Self can be investigated as an external object – Inferred Self “… a pattern of existing habits and attitudes”

(p. 378)


The Functions of the IThe Functions of the I

Our awareness of ourselves is functional indistinguishing ourselves from othersmotivating behavior, exerting control

over environment and other peopleproviding us with a sense of

continuity and unity

Our awareness of ourselves is functional indistinguishing ourselves from othersmotivating behavior, exerting control

over environment and other peopleproviding us with a sense of

continuity and unity


The Functions of the METhe Functions of the ME

Our thoughts about ourselves has a cognitive function and influence the

way we perceive and process information

a self-regulatory function and guide our behaviors

a motivational function and helps us to direct our behaviors to achieve certain ends

Our thoughts about ourselves has a cognitive function and influence the

way we perceive and process information

a self-regulatory function and guide our behaviors

a motivational function and helps us to direct our behaviors to achieve certain ends