2.4 - Cognitive and Behavioural Aspects of Self
Enroll to start learning
You’ve not yet enrolled in this course. Please enroll for free to listen to audio lessons, classroom podcasts and take practice test.
Interactive Audio Lesson
Listen to a student-teacher conversation explaining the topic in a relatable way.
Understanding the Self
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Today, we're discussing the concept of self. Can anyone tell me how they define ‘self’?
Isn't self just how we perceive ourselves?
You’re right! The self refers to an individual’s conscious experience of their own identity. It develops through interactions with parents, friends, and society. A helpful acronym to remember is ‘CUES’—Culture, Uniqueness, Experiences, and Social interactions—which all contribute to our sense of self.
So, what’s the difference between personal self and social self?
Great question! The personal self relates to an individual's internal attributes, while the social self connects to group affiliations and how we relate to others.
And how does self-esteem fit into this?
Excellent point! Self-esteem is an evaluation of our worth. It influences our behavior and interactions, a concept vividly depicted by Bandura's theory of self-efficacy, which is our belief in our abilities.
Can we explore more about self-regulation next?
Absolutely! Self-regulation is essential for managing our behaviors and emotions. It helps us respond appropriately to external pressures.
Let’s summarize today: the self is shaped by personal, social, and cultural factors, self-esteem influences our identity, and self-regulation helps us adapt in different situations.
Personality and Its Approaches
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Now, let's talk about personality. What do you all think defines personality?
I think personality is about how someone behaves consistently, right?
Exactly! Personality encompasses the unique and stable qualities that dictate how we respond to various situations. To remember, think of ‘TRAIT’: Traits are Resilient Aspects of Individual Temperament.
What are the major approaches to studying personality?
There are several approaches including type, trait, psychodynamic, behavioral, and humanistic approaches. Each provides different insights into personality.
Could you elaborate on the trait approach?
Certainly! The trait approach focuses on identifying specific characteristics or traits that can predict behavior. For example, Cattell and Eysenck proposed different models based on factor analysis.
How does Freud’s perspective differ?
Freud's psychodynamic approach emphasizes unconscious conflicts and childhood experiences, proposing that our personality develops through stages like oral and phallic stages. Remember, 'WEIR': 'Wishes, Ego, Instincts, Repression' to recall Freud's key components.
In summary, personality is multifaceted, with various theoretical perspectives providing insights. Each perspective enhances our understanding of human behavior.
Cultural and Humanistic Approaches
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Today, we'll discuss the cultural approach. Who knows how culture impacts personality?
I believe our cultural background shapes our identity and behavior.
Exactly! Cultural factors affect how we view ourselves and our place in society. A mnemonic that helps us remember is ‘C-CAPS’: Culture, Community, Adaptation, Perspective, Society.
What about the humanistic approach?
The humanistic approach focuses on individual potential and stresses personal growth. Rogers and Maslow suggest that self-actualization—the process of realizing one's potential—is crucial.
Can self-actualization help in understanding personality?
Absolutely! It's about aligning the real self with the ideal self. Their connection leads to higher self-esteem and personal satisfaction.
To summarize, cultural and humanistic approaches emphasize how our identity forms in social contexts and the importance of realizing personal potential.
Introduction & Overview
Read summaries of the section's main ideas at different levels of detail.
Quick Overview
Standard
The section delves into the concepts of self and personality, discussing how they are formed through social interactions and experiences. It highlights key elements like self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-regulation. Additionally, various theoretical approaches to understanding personality are examined, making it easier to comprehend individual differences and behaviors.
Detailed
In this section, we delve into the cognitive and behavioral aspects of self and personality, which are critical for understanding individual identity and social behavior. The concept of self is explored, emphasizing how it is shaped through interactions with significant others, leading to the development of personal, social, and relational selves. Self-esteem and self-efficacy are introduced as vital influences on behavior, affecting how individuals perceive their worth and capabilities. Furthermore, self-regulation is discussed in relation to controlling one’s behavior according to external demands. The section also presents an overview of major theoretical approaches in personality research, including type approaches and trait approaches, thus allowing for a more nuanced understanding of how personality can be measured and assessed. Through understanding these concepts, we gain insights into not only our uniqueness but also our similarities with others, and how these frameworks can help us navigate diverse social settings.
Youtube Videos
Audio Book
Dive deep into the subject with an immersive audiobook experience.
Understanding Self and Personality
Chapter 1 of 5
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Psychologists from all parts of the world have shown interest in the study of self. Studies indicate that by the age of 6 to 7 years, children seem to have formed self-esteem at least in four areas: academic competence, social competence, physical/athletic competence, and physical appearance, which become more refined with age.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk introduces the concept of self and personality by emphasizing the significance of self-study in psychology. At a young age, children start to develop self-esteem through various aspects of their lives, such as school performance and social interactions. This self-esteem reflects how they perceive their abilities and appearance. As they mature, these perceptions become more complex and nuanced, influencing their overall self-concept and personality development.
Examples & Analogies
Think of a child named Alex who experiences success in school and sports. At age 7, Alex feels proud of getting good grades and being the fastest runner in gym class. This positive reinforcement builds Alex's self-esteem, contributing to a stronger sense of self as they grow, influencing their choices in life, such as pursuing academic subjects or sports that align with their skills.
Self-Esteem Development
Chapter 2 of 5
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Self-esteem shows a strong relationship with our everyday behaviour. For example, children with high academic self-esteem perform better in schools than those with low academic self-esteem...
Detailed Explanation
This chunk discusses how self-esteem is crucial for affecting behavior and functioning. High self-esteem, particularly in academic settings, can lead to better performance and social likability. On the contrary, having low self-esteem can result in negative feelings such as anxiety and depression, influencing a person's interactions and achievements. Understanding this relationship helps in addressing behavioral issues early.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine two students, Lucy and Tom. Lucy consistently receives praise for her excellent grades, boosting her confidence and encouraging her to participate more in class. Conversely, Tom struggles academically and receives little encouragement, which may lead him to become withdrawn and less willing to attempt new challenges. Thus, Lucy's high self-esteem helps her thrive, while Tom's low self-esteem hinders his opportunities.
The Role of Self-Efficacy
Chapter 3 of 5
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Self-efficacy refers to the belief in one's capabilities to achieve a specific task or outcome. A person with high self-efficacy believes they can succeed, while a low self-efficacy can lead to uncertainty and fear of failure.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk delves into the concept of self-efficacy, which reflects an individual's belief in their ability to perform tasks. This belief has a powerful effect on their motivations and actions. People with high self-efficacy are more likely to set challenging goals, stay committed, and persevere through difficulties, while those with low self-efficacy may shy away from challenges due to fear of failures.
Examples & Analogies
Consider a scenario in sports. Emma is preparing for her first marathon. With a strong belief in her training, she feels confident about her ability to complete the race. In contrast, Jake has doubts about his fitness level, which makes him hesitant to even sign up for the marathon. Emma's high self-efficacy drives her to succeed, while Jake's low self-efficacy holds him back.
Self-Regulation and Behaviour
Chapter 4 of 5
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Self-regulation refers to our ability to organize and monitor our own behaviour. People who can adjust their behavior to meet different situations are often better at achieving their long-term goals.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk explains the concept of self-regulation as the ability to manage one's own actions, emotions, and thoughts in a way that is conducive to achieving personal goals. Good self-regulation leads to better decision-making and the ability to resist immediate temptations in favor of higher, long-term rewards.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine Daniel, who wants to lose weight. He establishes a plan to eat healthier and exercise regularly. Daniel actively practices self-regulation by resisting junk food and sticking to his workout schedule, even when he's tempted to skip it. His ability to regulate his impulses significantly aids him in achieving his weight loss goal.
Cultural Influences on Self
Chapter 5 of 5
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Several aspects of self seem to be linked to the characteristic features of the culture in which an individual lives. The Indian culture often emphasizes communal values, while Western cultures tend to stress individualism.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk addresses how cultural environments shape one's sense of self. Different cultures promote various values that influence self-conception. In collectivist cultures like India, individuals may define themselves in relation to family and community, whereas in individualistic cultures, personal independence and self-identity take precedence in how individuals view themselves.
Examples & Analogies
Think of Priya, who grows up in India and views her identity largely as part of her family and community. Her achievements are celebrated as communal successes. In contrast, John from the U.S. emphasizes personal accomplishments and individuality in how he identifies himself. This demonstrates how culture shapes the notion of self and identity.
Key Concepts
-
Self: The conscious experience of identity shaped through social interactions.
-
Self-esteem: A component of self-evaluation that affects behavior.
-
Self-efficacy: The belief in one's capability to perform tasks successfully.
-
Self-regulation: A critical skill for managing one's actions and emotions.
-
Personality: The sum of personal traits that influences behavior across situations.
-
Cultural approach: Emphasizes cultural factors in personality development.
-
Humanistic approach: Focuses on personal growth and self-actualization.
Examples & Applications
Example of self-esteem: A student who believes they are capable performs better academically.
Example of self-efficacy: An athlete who believes they can win a competition trains harder and achieves their goals.
Memory Aids
Interactive tools to help you remember key concepts
Rhymes
My self, my worth, shines from within, for every challenge, I will begin.
Stories
Once in a small village, there lived a girl who believed in herself. Despite the challenges, her high self-esteem led her to become a great leader, showcasing how beliefs shape reality.
Memory Tools
Remember ‘SERS’: Self, Esteem, Regulation, Self-efficacy, which are key components of the self.
Acronyms
Use ‘TRAP’ for the trait approach
Traits
Reactions
Attributes
Personality.
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Self
An individual's conscious experience of their identity, shaped by social interactions.
- Selfesteem
An individual's subjective evaluation of their worth.
- Selfefficacy
The belief in one's abilities to succeed in specific situations.
- Selfregulation
The ability to control one’s behavior in response to external demands.
- Personality
The unique, stable qualities that characterize an individual’s behavior.
- Trait approach
A method of understanding personality by identifying specific traits.
- Cultural approach
An understanding of personality that considers the impact of cultural contexts.
- Humanistic approach
A perspective emphasizing personal growth and self-actualization.
Reference links
Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.
- Understanding Self-Concept
- Freud’s Theory of Personality
- Humanistic Psychology Overview
- Understanding Self-Efficacy
- Traits vs. Types: Personality Theories
- Cattell's 16 Personality Factors
- Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- Cultural Influences on Personality
- Self-Regulation and its Importance
- Bandura's Social Learning Theory