Constructing the self-concept: Learning who we are

Question 1

How do people learn their own characteristics?

Answer 1

• observing their own behaviours
• Bem, 1967 - we use our own behaviour as a basis for inference

Question 2

What did Bem, 1967 demonstrate?

Answer 2

• we use our own behaviour as a basis for inference

Question 3

What are cues for learning who we are?

Answer 3

• observing own behaviours
• interpretation of our own thoughts and feelings
• other peoples reactions
  -comparison to others

Question 4

Who is the key research study by in one of the cues being from other peoples reactions?

Answer 4

• Coolie 1902 - looking glass effect- learn who we are through our interactions with other

Question 5

Who is the key research study by in one of the cues being from comparing to others?

Answer 5

• Festinger 1954 - people gain info about themselves by seeking out similiar others for comparison

Question 6

What is the upward and downward comparison demonstrated by Festinger, 1954?

Answer 6

• upward: comparing to someone above us in status
  -downward: comparing to someone below us in status

Question 7

What is the Miller, Brickman & Boles 1975 study?

Answer 7

• teachers and parents repeatedly told group of children they were tidy, second group were told to be tidy, third group (control) not told anything
• children labelled as being tidy were tidiest- influenced self concept and subsequent behaviour - self fulfilling prophecy

Question 8

When learning about the self and others, how is it similiar?

Answer 8

• integration of info is similiar- we use similiar processes in the ways we learn about self as others

Question 9

What are the two different attributions for self and others?

Answer 9

• actor-observer differences in attribution
• fundamental error

Question 9

When learning about the self and others, how is it different?

Answer 9

• we have more knowledge about ourselves- see ourselves in a wider range of situations and for more time

Question 10

What is actor-observer differences in attribution?

Answer 10

• tend to see personality as cause of others behaviours - situation as cause of ones own

Question 11

What is meant by fundamental error?

Answer 11

• under emphasise situational explanations while over emphasising dispositional explanations for others but not our own behaviour

Question 12

How is self knowledge assembled?

Answer 12

• diverse information

Question 13

What occurs when constructing a coherent self concept?

Answer 13

• self schema - Markus 1977

Question 14

Who is the key researcher when discussing self schemas?

Answer 14

• Markus 1977

Question 15

What happens when a schema of self is developed?

Answer 15

• we look for info that confirms our view
  -sense of who we are can be maintained through selective memory ( biased set of autobiographical memories)

Question 16

What are the cultural differences in constructing a coherent self-concept?

Answer 16

• independent eg western cultures: coherence through seeing self as independent, separate from others, expressed in inner thoughts and feelings
• interdependent eg Eastern European cultures: coherence through web of social connections with others