Self As A Cognitive Construct

Self as a Cognitive
Construct
Mariane D. Duyo, RN, LPT
Self as a Cognitive Construct
Refers to the idea that the self is a *mental construct created by the
mind.
It is a knowledge representation that contains knowledge about us,

including our beliefs about our personality traits, physical
characteristics, abilities, values, goals, and roles, as well as knowledge
that we exist as individuals
Self-concept is a fundamental cognitive part of the self, which

develops as children grow. It is a rich and complex social
representation of who we are, encompassing both our internal
characteristics and our social roles.
William James
The Me-self and the I-self
A philosopher and psychologist, made
significant contributions to the understanding
the self as a cognitive construct. In his book
“The Principles of Psychology,” James
postulated a theory of the self, distinguishing
between the “I Self” and the “Me Self”.
“I Self” “Me Self”
What people see or
*subjective and
perceive themselves
psychological phenomenon,
doing in the physical
referring to individuals’
world.
reflections about themselves.
It can be understood as
It corresponds to
the *phenomenal self,
*metaphysical self, resulting
connected to directly
from reflection on one’s
perceived experiences.
experiences.
Three Components of the
Me Self
Material Self – tangible objects and

possessions we collect for ourselves
Social Self – how we interact and portray

ourselves within different groups
Spiritual Self – internal disposition

Carl Rogers
Real and Ideal self
Was a humanistic psychologist who developed
the person-centered, or client centered, approach
to *psychotherapy.
He believed that for a person to “grow,” they

need an environment that provides them with
*genuineness, *acceptance, and *empathy
He defined the self as a flexible and changing of

personal identity.
He believed that humans have one basic motive, which is the tendency to self-
actualize. eg.to fulfill one’s potential and achieve the highest level of “human-
beingness” we can
His personality theory describes that there are two components of self-concept:
REAL SELF - as our perceptions and beliefs about ourselves, and our
IDEAL SELF - as our notion of what we would like to be.
His work on the self-concept and self-actualization has contributed to

our understanding of how individuals perceive themselves and strive to
reach their full potential.
Sigmund Freud
He is a pioneering figure in the field of psychology and the founding father of
*psychoanalysis, a method for treating mental illness and a theory explaining
human behavior.
Freud’s work on the self is based on his theory of personality, which he divided
into three components:
ID
EGO
SUPEREGO
ID
Primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive drives and
hidden memories. The ID is present at birth and is the source of bodily needs and wants,
emotional impulses and desires, especially *aggression and the sexual drive.
ID’s influence on behavior

a. Seeking instant gratification for our wants and potential consequences
b. Having violent fantasies, even when not acted upon
c. Responding only to what Freud called the pleasure principle (if it feels good, do it), and
nothing else
d. Seeking immediate relief from stressful situations, ignoring the financial implications and
future employment prospects
e. Being impulsive and making hasty decisions
f. Being stubborn and responding only to the pleasure principle
EGO
Part of the personality that mediates between the desires of the ID and the SUPEREGO
Reality principle – the ego operates based on the reality principle, which strives to satisfy
the id’s desire in realistic and socially appropriate ways. It takes into account the external
world, social norms, and the long-term consequences of actions.
Conscious awareness – the ego is the only part of the personality that is fully aware of
when they think about themselves and what they usually identify as their “self”
Conflict resolution- its main task is to find balance between the demands of the id, the
superego , and the external world. It uses various defense mechanism, such as
*repression, denial, and rationalization, to cope with conflicts and maintain psychological
equilibrium.
Superego
It is the ethical component of the personality that provides the moral standards
by which the ego operates
It develops during the first five years of life in response to *parental

punishment and approval
Moral conscience- incorporating the values and morals of society that are
learned from one’s parents and others
It provides a sense of what one should strive for and how one should behave
He believed that events in our childhood have a great influence on our adult
lives, shaping our personality. PSYCHOSEXUAL THEORY, describes the
development of human personality and sexuality through 5 distinct stages:
1. Oral stage (birth to 1 year)
primary focus if pleasure is on the mouth, through

activities such as sucking, biting, and breastfeeding.
*Fixations at this stage can lead to oral behaviors in

adulthood, such as smoking, overeating, or nail biting.
2. Anal stage (1-3yo):
Primary focus of pleasure is the Anus

eg. Bowel movement ad toilet training.
Fixation at this stage can lead to anal-retention or anal-

expulsive behaviors in adulthood, such as overly neat or
excessively messy.
3. Phallic Stage (3-6yo)
Primary focus of pleasure is Genitals
Most controversial and complex, as it involves the

Oedipus Complex, where children develop sexual
desires for the opposite-sex parent and view the
same-sex parent as rival. Fixation at this stage can
lead to difficulties with sexual identity and
relationships in adulthood
Latency stage (6yo - puberty)
The sexual energy is dormant during this stage, and
children focus on developing social and intellectual skills
It is this stage that people develop social and

communication skills
Failure to move through this stage could result in lifelong

immaturity or the inability to have and maintain happy,
healthy, and fulfilling sexual and non-sexual relationships
as an adult
Genital stage (puberty to adulthood)
The sexual energy reawakens, and individual develop mature
sexual relationships and a strong sense of self.
The genital stage affords the person the ability to form intimate
relationships and to share their life with another person in a
mutually satisfying way.
Fixation at earlier stages of psychosexual development can

hamper the development of normal sexual relationship.
Social Awareness & Social Comparison
These are two important cognitive constructs
that contribute to the development of the self.
Social Awareness
Is the skill of having an awareness and understanding of the
world around us, including environments, cultures,
communities and the people in them. It is a skill that develops
significantly throughout childhood and continues to hone
throughout adult life, as we’re introduced to new information
and experiences that require us to understand the views and
standpoints of others.
Why is it important to be socially aware?
1. Help us build relationship and

connection (Empathy)
2. Perspective taking
Social Comparison
Is a psychological process in which individuals evaluate their own
abilities, opinions, emotions, and other personal characteristics by
comparing themselves to others.
Social comparison theory suggests that individuals determine their own

social and personal worth base on how they stack up against others.
Social comparison can be both positive and negative, and it can

promote friendly competition or trigger stress and negative thoughts.
Here are some ways social comparison can
affect self-esteem:
1. Upward social comparison – comparing oneself to someone who
is perceived as better off can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low
self-esteem
2. Downward social comparison – comparing oneself to someone

who is perceived as worse off can lead to feelings of superiority and
increased self-esteem
3. Real-world comparison- social comparison in the real world

usually involves the self and a few others
Activity:
“My Self-Concept Map”
1. Draw a circle at the center.
2. Write your name in the circle
3. Draw lines or branches from the center circle to different parts of the
paper
4. On each branch, write down a different aspect of your self concept,
such as personality traits, values, beliefs, interests, hobbies, goals, etc.
5. After completing the self-concept map, reflect on your map. What
have you learned about yourself?
Key people
Choose three notable people of Asian Pacific American heritage using Bing.com and discuss their
lives and accomplishments. Here are some examples:
Anna May Wong was the first Chinese Sessue Hayakawa was a Japanese actor Duke Kahanamoku was a Hawaiian
American Hollywood movie star, as well and one of the biggest stars in competitive swimmer. He won five
as the first Chinese American actress to Hollywood during the silent film era. His Olympic metals for swimming. He also
gain international recognition. She fame matched that of Charlie Chaplin. popularized the Hawaiian sport of
appeared in over sixty movies surfing in the US.
throughout her career.
Arts and literature
Provide examples of art and literature that are
significant to Asian Pacific Heritage Month.
Here are a few examples:
• The writing of Amy Tan
• The music of Yo-Yo Ma
• The artwork of Yayoi Kusama
How we celebrate
List some ways you can celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage
Month. Here are a few examples:
• Discover Asian Pacific American artists
• Read Asian Pacific American authors
• Listen to Asian Pacific American Heritage musicians
• Learn important moments of Asian Pacific American
Heritage history
Resources
List the resources you used for your research:
• Source #1
• Source #2
• Source #3

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Self as a Cognitive

It is a knowledge representation that contains knowledge about us,

Self-concept is a fundamental cognitive part of the self, which

Material Self – tangible objects and

Social Self – how we interact and portray

Spiritual Self – internal disposition

He believed that for a person to “grow,” they

He defined the self as a flexible and changing of

His work on the self-concept and self-actualization has contributed to

ID’s influence on behavior

It develops during the first five years of life in response to *parental

1. Oral stage (birth to 1 year)

primary focus if pleasure is on the mouth, through

*Fixations at this stage can lead to oral behaviors in

Primary focus of pleasure is the Anus

Fixation at this stage can lead to anal-retention or anal-

Most controversial and complex, as it involves the

It is this stage that people develop social and

Failure to move through this stage could result in lifelong

Fixation at earlier stages of psychosexual development can

1. Help us build relationship and

Social comparison theory suggests that individuals determine their own

Social comparison can be both positive and negative, and it can

2. Downward social comparison – comparing oneself to someone

3. Real-world comparison- social comparison in the real world

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