Self-concept is one's mental model of oneself that includes beliefs about one's characteristics and abilities. It develops throughout childhood and adolescence as one's self-awareness and understanding of how others perceive them increases. Self-concept has three main parts - self-image, self-esteem, and ideal self. It begins forming in early childhood through interactions with others and recognizing oneself as separate from others. During middle childhood and adolescence, social comparisons and peer/family approval play larger roles in shaping one's self-concept. Self-awareness, or conscious understanding of one's own traits, also influences the development of one's self-concept.
Self-concept is one's mental model of oneself that includes beliefs about one's characteristics and abilities. It develops throughout childhood and adolescence as one's self-awareness and understanding of how others perceive them increases. Self-concept has three main parts - self-image, self-esteem, and ideal self. It begins forming in early childhood through interactions with others and recognizing oneself as separate from others. During middle childhood and adolescence, social comparisons and peer/family approval play larger roles in shaping one's self-concept. Self-awareness, or conscious understanding of one's own traits, also influences the development of one's self-concept.
Self-concept is one's mental model of oneself that includes beliefs about one's characteristics and abilities. It develops throughout childhood and adolescence as one's self-awareness and understanding of how others perceive them increases. Self-concept has three main parts - self-image, self-esteem, and ideal self. It begins forming in early childhood through interactions with others and recognizing oneself as separate from others. During middle childhood and adolescence, social comparisons and peer/family approval play larger roles in shaping one's self-concept. Self-awareness, or conscious understanding of one's own traits, also influences the development of one's self-concept.
Self-concept is one's mental model of oneself that includes beliefs about one's characteristics and abilities. It develops throughout childhood and adolescence as one's self-awareness and understanding of how others perceive them increases. Self-concept has three main parts - self-image, self-esteem, and ideal self. It begins forming in early childhood through interactions with others and recognizing oneself as separate from others. During middle childhood and adolescence, social comparisons and peer/family approval play larger roles in shaping one's self-concept. Self-awareness, or conscious understanding of one's own traits, also influences the development of one's self-concept.
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Q: Write a brief note on “Self Concept” which include its definition, development, nature
of self-awareness and the self?
A: Definition: According to Psychologist Richard Crisp: “At its most basic, self-concept is a collection of beliefs one holds about oneself and the responses of others. It embodies the answer to the question "Who am I?"” Self-concept is generally thought of as our individual perceptions of our behavior, abilities, and unique characteristics a mental picture of who you are as a person. For example, beliefs such as "I am a good friend" or "I am a kind person" are part of an overall self-concept. Self-concept tends to be more malleable when people are younger and still going through the process of self-discovery and identity formation. As people age, self-perceptions become much more detailed and organized as people form a better idea of who they are and what is important to them. Human Psychologist Carl Roger believed that there were 3 different parts of self-concept: 1. Self-Image: Each individual's self-image is a mixture of different attributes including our physical characteristics, personality traits, and social roles. Self-image doesn't necessarily coincide with reality. Some people might have an inflated self-image of themselves, while others may perceive or exaggerate the flaws and weaknesses that others don't see.
2. Self- Esteem: A number of factors can impact self-esteem, including how we compare ourselves to others and how others respond to us. When people respond positively to our behavior, we are more likely to develop positive self-esteem. When we compare ourselves to others and find ourselves lacking, it can have a negative impact on our self- esteem.
3. Ideal Self: How you wish you could be. In many cases, the way we see ourselves and how we would like to see ourselves do not quite match up.
Development: The self-concept is an important term for both social and humanistic psychology. Lewis (1990) suggests that the development of a concept of self has two aspects: (1) The Existential Self This is 'the most basic part of the self-scheme or self-concept; the sense of being separate and distinct from others and the awareness of the constancy of the self' (Bee, 1992). The child realizes that they exist as a separate entity from others and that they continue to exist over time and space. According to Lewis awareness of the existential self begins as young as two to three months old and arises in part due to the relation the child has with the world. For example, the child smiles and someone smiles back, or the child touches a mobile and sees it move.
(2) The Categorical Self
Having realized that he or she exists as a separate experiencing being, the child next becomes aware that he or she is also an object in the world. Just as other objects including people have properties that can be experienced (big, small, red, smooth and so on) so the child is becoming aware of himself or herself as an object which can be experienced and which has properties. In early childhood the categories children apply to themselves are very concrete (e.g., hair color, height and favorite things). Later, self-description also begins to include reference to internal psychological traits, comparative evaluations and to how others see them. Stages of Development: 1. The Formation of Self-Concept During Early Childhood There are three general stages of self-concept development during early childhood:
Stage 1: 0 to 2 years-old a. Babies need consistent, loving relationships to develop a positive sense of self. b. Babies form preferences that align with their innate sense of self. c. Toddlers feel secure with gentle but firm limits d. At age two, language skill develops and toddlers have a sense of “me.” Stage 2: 3 to 4 years-old a. Three and four-year-olds begin to see themselves as separate and unique individuals. b. Their self-images tend to be descriptive rather than prescriptive or judgmental. c. Preschoolers are increasingly independent and curious about what they can do. Stage 3: 5 to 6 years-old a. They are transitioning from the “me” stage to the “us” stage, where they are more aware of the needs and interests of the larger group. b. Kindergarteners can use their words to communicate their wants, needs, and feelings. 2. Self-Concept in Middle Childhood During middle childhood (about 7 to 11 years old), children are beginning to develop a sense of their social selves and figuring out how they fit in with everyone else. They reference social groups and make social comparisons more often, and begin to think about how others see them. Other characteristics of their self-concept at this stage include: More balanced, less all-or-none descriptions Development of the ideal and real self Descriptions of the self by competencies instead of specific behaviors Development of a personal sense of self (Berk, 2004)
3. The Development of Self-Concept in Adolescence
Adolescence is where the development of one’s self-concept really explodes. This is the stage in which individuals (about age 12-18) play with their sense of self, including a time when they experiment with their identity, compare themselves with others, and develop the basis of a self-concept that may stay with them the rest of their life. During this period, adolescents are prone to greater self-consciousness and susceptibility to the influence of their peers and chemical changes happening in the brain (Sebastian, Burnett, & Blakemore, 2008). In adolescence, there are two important factors that influence self-concept and self-worth: Success in areas in which the adolescent desires success Approval from significant people in the adolescent’s life (Manning, 2007). When students have a healthy sense of self-worth and self-esteem, they contribute to a greater self-concept.
Self-Concept vs. Self-Awareness
Self-awareness also influences self-concept. It is the quality or trait that involves conscious awareness of one’s own thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and traits (Cherry, 2018A). To have a fully developed self-concept (and one that is based in reality), a person must have at least some level of self-awareness.
