Chapter 9 Self-concept and Communication

self

an ever-changing system of perspectives that is formed and sustained in communication with others and oursleves

uncertainty reduction theory

asserts that people find uncertainty uncomfortable and so are motivated to use communication to reduce uncertainty

_______________________ is a critically important influence on who we are and how we see ourselves

communication

direct definition

communication that explicitly tells us who we are by labelling us and our behaviors; usually occurs first in families and later in interaction with peers and others

open (free) area

contains information that is known both to ourselves and to others

hidden area

contains information that we have about ourselves but choose not to reveal to others

blind area

contains perceptions of us that others know but we don't

From __________________, children learn how others see them and what others value and expect of them, and this influences how they regard themselves and what they expect of themselves

direct definition

self-fulfilling prophecies

expectations or judgments of ourselves that we bring about through our own actions; acting in ways that bring about others' or our own expectations or judgements of ourselves

Our basic scripts (life scripts) are formed early, probably by age ____________

five

life scripts

guides to action based on rules for living and identity; initially communicated in families; define our roles, how we are to play them, and the basic elements in the plot of our lives

particular other

individuals who are significant in our lives;the first perspectives that affect us; these are specific people who are especially significant to us and shape how we see ourselves; in childhood these are most often mothers, fathers, siblings, peers as well as potential extended family

race

is considered a primary aspect of personal identity; is one of the first aspects of a person that we notice, and it is an aspect of identity that is shaped by broad cultural views

unknown area

made up of information about ourselves that neither we nor others know

dismissive attachment style

one of the four attachment styles; characterized by a view of others as unworthy of love and the self as adequate yet removed from intimate relationships; fostered by disinterested, rejecting, or abusive treatment by a caregiver

secure attachment style

one of the four styles of attachment; a style fostered by a caregiver who communicates with an infant in consistently loving and attentive ways and which inclines people to view themselves and others as worthy and to be comfortable both alone and in intimate relationships

anxious/ambivalent attachment style

one of the four styles of attachment; a style, characterized by preoccupation with relationships, in which intimacy is both wanted and feared. It is fostered by inconsistent treatment from a caregiver

fearful attachment style

one of the four styles of attachment; characterized by the perception of self as unworthy of love; fostered by dismissive, rejecting, or abusive treatment by a caregiver

attachment styles

patterns of parenting that teach us how to view ourselves and personal relationships; the patterns of interaction between child and primary caregiver that teach the child who he or she is, who others are, and how to approach relationships

The self in an ever-changing system of perspective that is formed and sustained in communication with others and ourselves; this emphasized that the self is a ________________

process

generalized other

society as a whole; this is the collection of rules, roles and attitudes endorsed by overall society (the other people in society); we often look to the culture to help us define ourselves (ex: success, health, beauty, happiness)

gender

the meaning society attaches to sex, is another category that is important in Western culture

self-disclosure

the revelation of personal information about ourselves that others are unlikely to learn on their own; it is an important kind of communication because how others respond to this can profoundly affect how we see and accept ourselves

true/false positive labels enhance self-esteem while negative labels can damage a child's self-esteem

true

true/false reflected appraisalis the beginning of a self-concept; the self starts outside of us with others' views of who we are; we first see ourselves from the perspectives of others

true

true/false the self arises in communication with others

true

5 facets of the self:

-physical self (height, weight, body type, abilities, disabilities, color of skin, hair, and eyes -emotional self (reflects how sensitive you are, whether you have a temper and so forth) -cognitive self (intelligence and intellectual aptitudes) -social self (roles such as son, daughter, brother, sister, friend, aunt, parent, and neighbor) -professional self (roles such as manager, entrepreneur, and collaborator)

4 important aspect of personal identity that the definition of self highlights:

-points out that the self consists of perspectives that grow out of communication -emphasizes that the self is not static or fixed, but dynamic -calls attention to the idea that perspectives on the self are a system -highlights communication as a critically important influence on who we are and how we see ourselves

4 key social categories in American society today:

-race -gender -sexual orientation -socio-economic class

3 Guidelines for communicating with ourselves:

-reflect critically on social perspectives -commit to personal growth by setting realistic goals and assessing yourself fairly -create a supportive context for the change you seek

4 communication processes that explain how we come to know the perspectives of others and how those shape our understandings of who we are and can be:

-reflected appraisal -direct definition -social comparison -self-disclosure

2 primary groups that effect how you see yourself today:

-the generalized other -particular others

2 ways we gauge ourselves in relation to others:

-we compare ourselves with others to decide whether we are like them or different from the -we engage in social comparison to assess specific aspect of ourselves

It is our communication through language with other people who provide us with their definiations that we gain a concept:

-who/what we are -how others see us -what we come to believe about ourselves

social comparison

rating of ourselves relative to others with respect to our talents, abilities, qualities etc.; compairing ourselves with others to form judgements of our talents, abilities, qualities, and so forth; whereas reflected appraisals are based on how we think others view us, in this we use others to evaluate ourselves

reflected appraisal

reflections and definitions of ourselves in the ways that other people react (reflects back) to us; the image and estimate of ourselves that we perceive others communicate to us; "looking-glass self" Ractions when we enter the room? Social networking?

People with a _________________ attachment style tend to be outgoing, affectionate, and able to handle the challenges and disappointments of close relationships without losing self-esteem

secure

We _________________ when we express private hopes and fears, intimate feelings, and personal experiences, perceptions, and goals

self-disclose