Kassin ch3 Course Notes

Kassin ch.
3 course notes
The Self
The Self-Concept
- The self-concept refers to the sum total of beliefs that people have about themselves. It is
made up of self-schemas, which are beliefs about oneself that guide the processing of self-
relevant information.
- People can think of themselves as masculine or feminine, independent or dependent,

introverted or extroverted. Any specific attribute may have relevance to the self-concept for
some people but not for others.
- The self-concept is heavily influenced by our past and current relationships with
significant others. We often come to know ourselves by imagining what significant others
think of us and then incorporating these perceptions into our self-concepts. Our self-concepts
match our perceptions of what others think of us. (Markus & Kitayama, 1991)
- Self-schemas can be schematic or aschematic for a given attribute. Schematic individuals,

those for whom a given attribute is important, process self-relevant information through that
schema. Aschematic individuals, for whom an attribute is unimportant, do not use that
schema. (Markus, 1977)
- People are multifaceted and our self-concept may consist of a multitude of self-schemas that
fit within different cultures. For example, African Americans may have one self-schema that
fits within mainstream American culture and another tied more specifically to African
American culture. (Brannon, Markus, & Taylor, 2015)
The Self-Awareness "Trap"
- Self-awareness theory proposes that self-focused attention leads people to notice self-
discrepancies, thereby motivating either an escape from self-awareness or a change in
behavior.
- Situations like public speaking, mirrors, cameras, and socially conspicuous behavior can
induce a state of heightened self-awareness that leads us to compare our behavior to
standards. This often results in a negative discrepancy and temporary reduction in self-esteem.
- Some individuals are generally more self-focused than others. Private self-consciousness
refers to the tendency to introspect, while public self-consciousness refers to the tendency to
focus on oneself as a social object seen by others.
Mechanisms of Self-Enhancement
- People preserve their self-esteem through self-serving biases, selectively recalling positive
feedback and making internal attributions for success and external attributions for failure.
- People are unrealistically optimistic about their future, exaggerating their control over
uncontrollable events through the illusion of control.
- Downward social comparisons involve comparing ourselves favorably to people who are
worse off. This enhances self-esteem.
- Basking in reflected glory (BIRGing) involves showing off connections to successful others
to increase self-esteem. Cutting off reflected failure (CORFing) distances us from failures.
- Self-handicapping behaviors are designed to sabotage performance to provide an excuse for

possible failure and protect self-esteem. Procrastination can serve this function.
- Terror management theory proposes that humans cope with the fear of death by constructing
worldviews that help preserve self-esteem through meaning and purpose. Self-esteem acts as
a buffer against anxiety.
Self-Regulation and Its Limits
- Self-regulation refers to processes by which we control thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and

urges to live acceptably. It is a limited inner resource that can become depleted with use.
- Self-control efforts draw from a common reservoir in the body. Exerting self-control
fatigues this resource, making further self-regulation more difficult until the resource
replenishes.
- However, psychological factors like believing willpower is nonlimited can counteract self-
regulation fatigue and enable continued self-control even under high demands.
- Ironically, the harder people try to control a thought or behavior, the less likely they are to
succeed due to ironic processes that trigger the unwanted response.
Self-Presentation
- Self-presentation refers to strategies used to shape what others think of us. It takes many
forms from conscious impression management to unconscious expressions of implicit
egotism.
- Strategic self-presentation consists of efforts to influence impressions in specific ways to

gain approval, power, or status. Common goals are to appear likable through ingratiation or
competent through self-promotion.
- Self-verification is the desire to have others perceive us accurately as we perceive ourselves.

People selectively seek and accept feedback confirming their self-concept.
- Self-monitoring refers to a personality trait involving the tendency to regulate behavior to

meet social demands. High self-monitors are sensitive to strategic concerns while low self-
monitors prefer self-verification.

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Kassin ch.

- People can think of themselves as masculine or feminine, independent or dependent,

- Self-schemas can be schematic or aschematic for a given attribute. Schematic individuals,

The Self-Awareness "Trap"

- Self-handicapping behaviors are designed to sabotage performance to provide an excuse for

Self-Regulation and Its Limits

- Self-regulation refers to processes by which we control thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and

- Strategic self-presentation consists of efforts to influence impressions in specific ways to

- Self-verification is the desire to have others perceive us accurately as we perceive ourselves.

- Self-monitoring refers to a personality trait involving the tendency to regulate behavior to

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