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! Self-Concept: The attitudes, behaviors, and values that a person believes make him or her unique.I amwhat I am!Self-Concept(page 334)The Evolving Self Concept• Most embarrassing moments: “That’s when I discovered I had a post-it on my head. • Mirror task suggests that we have self between 18 and 24 months.Self-Awareness•Camera hogs (although not so good on tape).•Pronouns (Me, I, and the ubiquitous, all important…•MINE!!!!! (Levine)Other evidence of self-awareness by age 2• Adolescent egocentrism:teens belief that they are the focus of other’s thinking 24/7.•If you know that others can think. We tend to think•They are…•looking at us!What are you looking at!• Imaginary audience: belief that everyone is watching. •“I’m an actor in the soap that is my life, and everybody is tuning in.”• Personal Fable: belief that our experience is unique.•“You can’t know what I’m going through! No one can! Don’t you understand! I broke a nail!”• Illusion of invulnerability: belief that misfortune won’t happen to us.Adolescent egocentrism leads to..•Remember Freud, Erickson? (crises/stages)•Should remember James Marcia (who updated and simplified their theories for today).•He operationalized the concepts of psychosocial theory (crisis and commitment) and developed the Identity Status Interview.•He discovered four distinct patterns in identity achievement.The Search for Identity•The individual has not yet experienced an identity crisis or exploration nor made any personal commitment to a vocation or set of beliefs.•Identity confusion can encompass a variety of different behavior patterns ranging from an “aimless drifting, to a manipulative selfishness, to a morbid self-preoccupation.”•Some identity diffused individuals avoid anxiety, exploration, and confrontation by means of alcohol or drugs.Pattern 1: Diffusion•Most frequently observed identity status during adolescence (“Go with the flow.”)•Have not yet experienced crisis/exploration but have made commitments to goals, values, and beliefs.•Usually, these commitments emerge from an identification with parents or significant others.•Importantly, these individuals are committed to goals and values, an occupation, and a personal ideology, but these are not their own!.Pattern 2: Foreclosure• Moratorium: time of delay granted to an individual who is not yet ready to meet an obligation or make a commitment.•A period of many unresolved questions.•The individual is in an active struggle to find answers, to search, to explore, to try on different roles. “Checking out the options.”•Moratorium is an essential and necessary prerequisite for identity achievement.Pattern 3: Moratorium“ After an individual has experienced a psychological moratorium and has explored identity issues and crises and, as a result, has begun to develop more permanent personal commitments, he or she has achieved an identity.”-James MarciaPattern 4: Achievement• Ethnic identity: identification with a particular group’s customs, traditions, culture, and heritage.•After adolescent egocentrism, we realize we are part of something bigger than just ourselves.•Adolescents who identify strongly with a particular group tend to be better adjusted. Ethnic Identity•The search for identity does not produce as much storm & stress as you might think.•Well over 65% of teens report that they are happy at home, and they admire their parents.•Yes, your parents no longer dress you, and there will always be struggles about when and how much responsibility/autonomy the growing teen will have.•By and large, it all works out.Storm and Stress•Part of establishing an identity is identifying a career, which also takes different stages.– Crystallization: hypothetical ideas about what we might be good for (eg. People always stare at me, maybe I should be in the performing arts)– Specification: Learn more, get real, get job description (eg. What sport? What science? What specific job?)•Shadow someone.– Implementation: “OK, you’re hired.”What am I going to do?•Self-esteem is highest in the preschool years and very unitary.•Drops and differentiates during the elementary school years, due to social comparisons.•Self-esteem stabilizes and during adolescence, though it sometimes drops during school transitions (due to renewed social comparisons).•But where does it come from?Change and Stability in Self-Esteem• Value: what you value determines how happy you are.•If you value academics, sports your success will determine your esteem.•If not successful, may change values.•Why? Other sources… Sources of Self-Esteem• Parents •Children have higher self-esteem when parents are nurturing and involved (feel loved).•Also establish rules concerning discipline (“Rules say you care” says the book).•Dirty little secret: it’s also hereditary. Another source of Self Esteem•Comparisons with others (particularly peers) is the other big source of self esteem.•Big-fish in little pond syndrome.•Gifted classes: Bad for average smarties.Social Comparison•make friends easily. •show enthusiasm for new activities. •be cooperative and follow age-appropriate rules. •control their behavior. •play by themselves and with other children. •like to be creative and have their own ideas. •be happy, fully of energy, and talk to others without much encouragement. Children with High Self-Esteem (Nuttall)•"I can't do anything well." •"I know I can't do it." •"I know that I will fail." •"I don't like me. I wish I were someone else.”•Pretty negative huh?Children with Low Self Esteem say:•More likely to have problems with peers.•Prone to psychological disorders and depression.•Anti-social.•Do poorly in school.Consequences of Low Self-Esteem•Developmental changes parallel changes in description of self.•At 6 or 7, very concrete and behavioral; gradually becomes more abstract.Describing OthersChanges in DescriptionIncludes 5 stages in the development of understanding what others think.•Undifferentiated:3-6 years!•Social-Informational:4-9 years!•Self-Reflective:7-12 years!•Third Person:10-15 years!•Societal: 15+Example: Folger’s CrystalsRobert Selman’s theoryof Role Taking• Prejudice: negative view of others based on group membership.•Preschool children often are most prejudiced; declines with age.•Why?•If told better, think other are


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Purdue PSY 23500 - Lecture 12

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