Lesson 2- The Self as the Cognitive Construct

Summary

Danika Makabides introduces Lesson Two, exploring the self as a cognitive construct. She discusses various perspectives on self, including William James's 'I' and 'Me', Carl Rogers's acting self versus self-perception, and the roles of identity and self-concept. Makabides explains self-schema, including aspects like hobbies, nationality, family, and religion. She also covers Sigmund Freud's structural model of the mind and George Herbert Mead's symbolic interactionism, emphasizing how social interactions shape the self. The lesson touches on self-awareness, social comparison, and the potential development of narcissistic traits due to self-esteem maintenance.

Takeaways

• 😀 The self is a cognitive construct, and it's important to be true to who we are rather than trying to please everyone.
• 🧠 William James defined the self as having two aspects: the 'I' (subject of experience) and the 'Me' (object of experience, including physical characteristics and capabilities).
• 🌟 Carl Rogers viewed the self in terms of 'I' as the active decider and 'Me' as one's self-perception.
• 🆔 Identity is a composition of personal characteristics, social roles, responsibilities, and affiliations, while self-concept is an individual's perception of their abilities and characteristics.
• 🧩 Self-schema is a mental organization of information about the self, including aspects like hobbies, nationality, family, and religion.
• 🤔 Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory posits that the self is influenced by three parts: the id (instinctual desires), the ego (reality principle), and the superego (moral conscience).
• 🤝 Symbolic interactionism suggests that the self is created and developed through social interactions and is a social product.
• 🤷‍♀️ Self-awareness involves recognizing both the private self (inner thoughts and feelings) and the public self (how one presents to others).
• 🔍 Social comparison theory explains how we evaluate ourselves by comparing to others, which can lead to either positive or negative self-concepts.
• 💔 Narcissism is characterized by an inflated self-esteem, self-admiration, and a constant need for admiration from others, often leading to superficial relationships.

Q & A

What is the main topic of lesson two according to the transcript?

The main topic of lesson two is 'The Self as a Cognitive Construct'.

How does Danika Makabides suggest we should perceive ourselves?

Danika Makabides suggests that we should be ourselves and not try to please everyone to be accepted for who we are.

What are the two aspects of the self according to William James?

According to William James, the self has two aspects: the 'I' which is the thinking, acting, and feeling part, and the 'Me' which is the physical characteristics or capabilities.

How does Carl Rogers define the 'I' and 'Me' in his theory of personality?

In Carl Rogers' theory, the 'I' is the one who acts and decides, while the 'Me' is what you think or feel about yourself.

What is the difference between identity and self-concept as described in the transcript?

Identity is composed of personal characteristics, social roles, and affiliations that define who one is, while self-concept is an individual's perception of their behavior, abilities, and unique characteristics.

What are the four components of self-schema mentioned in the transcript?

The four components of self-schema mentioned are hobbies, nationality, family, and religion.

Who is Sigmund Freud and what are the three parts of the self he identified?

Sigmund Freud is a psychologist who identified the self as a result of the interaction between the id, ego, and superego. The id contains sexual and aggressive drives, the ego mediates between the id and superego, and the superego operates as a moral conscience.

What is symbolic interactionism and how does it relate to the self?

Symbolic interactionism is a theory that suggests the self is created and developed through human interaction. It posits that society helps create the foundations of who we are, we need others to affirm our identity, and our values are influenced by our social and historical context.

What is self-awareness and why is it important?

Self-awareness is having a clear perception of one's personality. It is important because it helps us understand our private and public selves, and it can influence our self-esteem and actions.

How does social comparison affect self-esteem according to the transcript?

Social comparison affects self-esteem by comparing ourselves with others. Downward social comparison can create a positive self-concept, while upward social comparison can make us feel threatened, leading to reactions such as distancing, reconsidering the skill, or trying to improve.

What is narcissism and how does it relate to self-esteem?

Narcissism is a trait characterized by overly high self-esteem, self-admiration, and self-contenderness. It can relate to self-esteem as narcissists often seek better partners and acquaintances to maintain or increase their self-esteem.