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Social Psychology Lecture 6

Social Psychology Lecture 6. Jane Clarbour (Spring 2003) Room PS/B007 Email j.clarbour@ psych.york.ac.uk. Self-Esteem and Social Identity. Objectives. Understand the difference between the ‘subjective self’ and the ‘objective self’

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Social Psychology Lecture 6

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  1. Social PsychologyLecture 6 Jane Clarbour (Spring 2003) Room PS/B007 Email j.clarbour@ psych.york.ac.uk Self-Esteem and Social Identity

  2. Objectives • Understand the difference between the ‘subjective self’ and the ‘objective self’ • Demonstrate an understanding of the role of social identity in relation to the self concept • Describe the hierarchical model of the self-concept • Explain the role of defensive self-esteem

  3. Who am I? • I am……………………………………… • I am……………………………………… • I am……………………………………… • I am……………………………………… • I am……………………………………… • I am……………………………………… • I am……………………………………… • I am……………………………………… • I am……………………………………… • I am………………………………………

  4. Early self theorists • James (1982) • Cognitive appraisal of how successful (the ‘I’) is of areas important to the self (the ‘me’). • Cooley (1902) • Looking glass self • Role of ‘significant others’ (parents/peers)

  5. Critical components of the self(James, 1892) • Subjective self (the ‘I’) • Self as ‘knower’ • Objective self (the ‘me’) • Self as ‘known’ Whenever I think about something, “I” am always the subject of consciousness, and one of the things I may be consciously attending to is “me”(Franzoi, 2000, p. 39).

  6. Types of self and identity • Social identity • Self in terms of group membership • Personal identity • Self in terms of idiosyncratic personal relationships and traits (Hogg & Vaughn, 2002)

  7. 3 forms of self (Brewer & Gardner, 1996) • Individual Self • Personal traits that differentiate the self from all others • Relational Self • Defined by dyadic relationships that assimilate the self to significant others • Collective Self • Defined by group membership (Hogg & Vaughn, 2002)

  8. Symbolic Interactionism “The self is something which has a development; it is not initially there, at birth, but arises in the process of social experience and activity… The self… is essentially a social structure, and it arises in social experience” (George Herbert Mead, 1934, p. 135). (Cited in Franzoi)

  9. Self-as-subject Active process of experience Self-reflexiveness Self-awareness of ability to act & react Unique individuality Self construction Self-as-object What know about self Self-descriptors Influenced by perceptions of other’s attitudes Internalised attitudes & values Social construction “I” – vs. – “Me”

  10. Coopersmith (1967) • Aggregate model of the self • Based on James (1892) cognitive self-appraisal • Problems of definition • Problems of measurement • Acknowledges self concept includes school, friends, family, & self-confidence • Assumption that each domain equally weighted • Scores summed to give single aggregate score • Weak predictive reliability

  11. Rosenberg (1979) • Hierarchical model of the self • James (cognitive appraisal) • Cooley (social evaluation or ‘looking glass self’) I’m great I like my life I’ve got good qualities

  12. Harter’s hierarchical model GSW PA SC BC SA AC Face Body Hair Skin Math Lang. Arts Sciences Kind Prosocial Honest Friends Parents Peers Football Athletics Swim Riding

  13. Harter (1985) • Hierarchical model of the self • Possibility of measuring perceptions of self-worth • Measure of general self worth PLUS • Measure of separate domains PLUS • Measure of importance of domains • Empirical testable model • Predictive capacity

  14. Children’s ratings of vignettes: Differences in SE group for maintaining or discounting SE % High SE more able to discount importance of domain not good at (Harter, 1986)

  15. Discrepancy between self- and teacher-ratings of competence Plus values indicate that self-score is higher than the teacher’s; minus values indicate that the self-score is lower than the teachers

  16. Protection of self-esteem • Take credit for success but deny blame for failure • Forget failure feedback more readily than success or praise • Accept praise uncritically but receive criticism more sceptically • Persuade self that flaws are widely shared attributes but that their qualities are rare

  17. Defensive self-esteem and need for approval (Napp) Lobel & Teiber, 1994 • Difference between ‘true’ and ‘defensive’ self-esteem • ‘True’ self esteem high SE = low Napp • ‘Defensive’ self esteem high SE = high NApp

  18. Effect of success and failure on ideal performance (Lobel & Teiber, 1994)

  19. The dark side of self-esteem(Baumeister et al, 1996) • Benefits of high self-concept accrue mainly to the self • Negative connotations of high self-evaluation: • Arrogance, conceit, pride, narcissism, superiority • High cost of threat to self-esteem • Increased likelihood of aggression

  20. Summary • Theory of the self-concept • Hierarchical model of the self • Global self-worth • Separate domains • Importance of discounting domains where low competence is perceived • Defensive vs ‘true’ high self-esteem • Continuity AND change

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