Week 2 Social Psychology

Front 1

Explain the Development of the Self:

Back 1

• Personality Self-recognition develops ~age 2► red dot test
• As we grow older, rudimentary self-concept 􏰀 more complex.
• Child’s self-concept is concrete (clear cut, easily observablecharacteristics like age, sex, neighbourhood, hobbies)
  

Front 2

What are the functions of the Self?

Back 2

• Personality Self = both “the book” & “the reader”► A book, full of fascinating content collected over time ► The reader of that book, who at any moment can access a specific chapter or add a new one
• Self-knowledge► cognitive organisation of knowledge about self/selves► the most studied & content-heavy area
• Self-esteem► feeling good about ourselves
• Self-presentation

Front 3

Describe William James and the Self:

Back 3

• Distinguished between self as an object of perceptions and self as a stream of consciousness.
• The "known/me" --> Our thoughts about ourselves, self concept, "the book".
• The "knower/I" --> the processor of info, self awareness, "the reader".

Front 4

Describe Sigmund Freud and the Self:

Back 4

• ID: primitive, instinctive, component
• SUPEREGO: moral component
• EGO: rational, decision making component

Front 5

Describe George H. Mead (Symbolic Interactionism) and the Self:

Back 5

• The “looking glass” self
• Human interaction is symbolic► Words and non-verbals are rich with meaning
• Human interaction --> sense of self
• Seeing the self as others do
  

Front 6

Describe Erik Erikson and the Self:

Back 6

• Fifth stage: identity vs. identity diffusion
• Around late teens
• If not achieved...► confusion, restlessness, aimlessness► difficulty with relationship fidelity
  

Front 7

List the Conceptions of Self:

Back 7

• Existence of multiple selves
  

“The self-concept [contains] a repertoire of relatively discrete &often quite varied identities...”

• Contextual factors bring different selves into play
• Individuals differ in self-complexity
• People still need distinctive, integrated, coherent & reasonablystable sense of self

Front 8

What is a Self-Schema?

Back 8

• The self can be thought of as a schema
• Schemas: Cognitive structures that represent knowledge about acertain concept or thing, including its attributes & the relationsamong those attributes
  

Front 9

What is the Self Discrepancy Theory?

Back 9

We have three types of self-schema:

► ‘Actual’ self: How we think we currently are

► ‘Ought’ self: How we think we should be

► ‘Ideal’ self: How we would like to be

Front 10

Describe the relationship between discrepancies and the Self-Discrepancy theory:

Back 10

• We must self-regulate (i.e. deliberately employ strategies) toresolve any discrepancies between:► Our ‘actual’ self and our ‘ideal’ self► Our ‘actual’ self and our ‘ought’ self
• Failure to resolve discrepancies:► Actual-ideal􏰀dejection-related emotions (sadness)► Actual-ought􏰀agitation-related emotions (anxiety)
  

Front 11

Describe Introspection and Self Reflection:

Back 11

• We learn about our self through self-focus, self-talk, and “reflexivethinking”
  
• Not very good at it and don’t often engage in it
• Sometimes feel arousal & look for a cause – not always accurate► adrenaline rush from high risk activity may be attributed as attraction
  

Front 12

Describe Self Disclosure:

Back 12

• The (usually intentional) revealing of personal details that mayotherwise be kept hidden
  
• Itoften involves processes of self-discovery & self-clarification
  
• Predictors of self-disclosure► person factors: gender, competence, self-esteem, extraversion► situation factors: trust in/liking the other person, how many others, self-disclosure by the other, topic “safety”
  
• Rewards include gains in self-knowledge, relational depth, copingability, & communication efficacy
• Dangers include social rejection & reputational damage

Front 13

Describe Feedback from Others:

Back 13

• We learn from our self by observing and reflecting upon otherpeople’s reactions to our behaviour, appearance, etc.
• The “looking glass self”
  

Front 14

Describe Social Comparison:

Back 14

• We compare ourselves to others to know how to behave.
• We learn about ourselves relative to others.
• We compare to those similar to ourselves.
• Comparisons may be upwards or downwards.
• Example: Silver medalist feels worse than bronze because they compare up whereas bronze compares down.

Front 15

Describe Inferences from own Behaviour:

Back 15

• Gain info about ourselves by inferring from our own feelings (self attribution).
• Occurs when you are unsure of why you are feeling/behaving a certain way (over justification.

Front 16

Explain the Over-Justification Effect:

Back 16

Over-justification effect: the tendency for people to view theirbehaviour as caused by compelling extrinsic reasons, makingthem underestimate the extent to which it can be caused byintrinsic reasons

► Intrinsic motivation:The desire to engage in an activity because we enjoy it or findit interesting, not because of external rewards/pressure

► Extrinsic motivation:The desire to engage in an activity because of externalreasons, not because we enjoy it or find it interesting

Front 17

Describe the Self Categorisation Theory:

Back 17

• We categorise ourselves as group members & internalise theattributes of our group(s)
  
• We seek to find ways in which our group is “positively distinctive”(because that makes us so too!)
• Thus, downward and upward comparisons also happen in groups

Front 18

Explain Carver & Scheier's types of Self & Identity:

Back 18

Private self

► how you see yourself

► private thoughts, feelings, & attitudes

► unconscious thoughts, feelings, & attitudes Public self

► how (you think) others see you

► how you (think you) come across to others

► public reputation

Front 19

Explain Brewer & Gardner's types of Self & Identity:

Back 19

Individual self

► defined by personal traits that differentiate self from others

Relational self

► defined by dyadic relationships

Collective self

► defined by group or category membership

Front 20

Describe Tajfel & Turners broad class of identity: (1)

Back 20

Social identity

► sense of self derived from group memberships (e.g. family, sports team, ethnic group)

► attributes shared with the group that differentiate one individual from other groups (outgroups)

► relate to others as members of groups (I’m a member of group A, you’re a member of group A/B/C!)

► I am a man, I am Asian, I am a psychologist

Front 21

Describe Tajfel & Turners broad class of identity: (2)

Back 21

Personal identity

► sense of self derived from unique traits & close personalrelationships

► unique attributes that differentiate one individual from another

► relate to others as individuals (I’m me, you’re you!)

► I am Michael Thai, I am the 1002PSY course convenor

Front 22

Explain Brewer's types of Self & Identity:

Back 22

Person-based social identities

► reflects extent to which group membership is represented as integral part of an individual’s self-concept (group properties internalised)

Relational social identities

► reflects interpersonal relationships within larger group context

Group-based social identities

► reflects extent to which individual perceives self as an integral part of larger group

Collective identities

► reflects an active process of achieving collective efforts as a group, rather than just “grouping” collectively

Front 23

What is Self Enhancing Triad?

Back 23

Above-average Effect

► consider ourselves better than average compared to others

► even when criteria on which self and others are judged is identical

Illusions of Control

► overestimate control we have over outcomes & contingencies

► see our actions as influential, even when they are inconsequential

Unrealistic Optimism

► believe life will hold a greater number of positive experiences andfewer negative experiences compared to others

Front 24

Describe feelings on high self-esteem:

Back 24

High self-esteem:

► hold favourable views about the self

► consider self competent, likeable, attractive, morally good

► focus on self-enhancement

Front 25

Describe feelings on low self-esteem:

Back 25

Low self-esteem

► absence of strong favourable views about the self

► don’t want to fail but are less confident they can achieve

► conflicted/less certain/less stable ideas about self

► focus on self-protection – avoid failure, embarrassment & rejection, rather than take chances or pursue opportunities thatmight lead to success

Front 26

Explain Categorisation and Social Identity:

Back 26

• Motivation to make sense of & reduce uncertainty about self
  
• Our categories become more psychologically salient when:► they can account for similarities or differences between us and others (structural fit)► they make good sense of why we are behaving in particular ways (normative fit)
  
• When categorisation occurs, we begin to view ourselves through our group membership
  

Front 27

Explain Comparison and Social Identity:

Back 27

• The esteem with which the group is held (e.g. power, status,prestige, regard) governs the esteem with which we holdourselves
  
• Motivation to maintain & achieve a positive & distinct socialidentity (i.e. positive distinctiveness)
  

Front 28

Describe the effects of being a Stigmatised Group:

Back 28

• If esteem can be based on group memberships, then members ofstigmatised social groups are at a disadvantage
• Strategies to improve/protect self-esteem:

► avoid making self-damaging intergroup comparisons

► join with other ingroup members in quest to establish more equal status relative to the majority group

► identify or develop ingroup characteristics that provide a sense of uniqueness and positivity (e.g. language & culture)

► attribute failures to prejudice/discrimination

Front 29

What is Impression Management?

Back 29

• The use of strategies to monitor & control one’s behaviour so as tobe viewed by others in a positive light

► strategic self-presentation: goal to influence others & gain rewards

► expressive self-presentation: goal to present ourselves in a manner that is consistent with ourself-image

Front 30

What is Strategic Self-Presentation

Back 30

• Shape behaviour to project the impression we feel the audienceor situation demands

► self-promotion: get others to think you are competent

► ingratiation: get others to like you

► intimidation: get others to think you are dangerous

► exemplification: get others to regard you as morally respectable

► supplication: get others to take pity on you as helpless & needy

Front 31

What is Self-Monitoring?

Back 31

Extent to which people engage in impression managementstrategies

Correlates; high self-monitors tend to be:

► accurate judges of other people’s emotional states

► perceived by others as friendly & likeable

► good at remembering information about others

► not shy in social situations, more likely to initiate conversation