Measuring Self-Schema Commonly use S data How do you see yourself ? –Rate Am the life of the party. Feel comfortable around people. Start conversations. Talk to a lot of different people at parties. Don't mind being the center of attention. Make friends easily. Take charge. Know how to captivate people. Feel at ease with people. Am skilled in handling social situations.

Measuring Self-Schema Sociable Schema High scores = schematic on this dimension Low scores = aschematic on this dimension Results Schematic individuals –tend to behave in a sociable manner –Sensitive to social stimuli

Self-Schema Schematic individuals are “experts” on the dimension Experts (in any area) tend to –Remember relevant information about domain –See world in terms of the domain –Can automatically respond to issues related to the domain

Questionnaire

Schema Three types of schemas “Actual” self –How you see yourself –Sum scores on page 3 High scores = see actual self in an undesirable manner

Schema Three types of schemas “Ideal” self –What is your “best” self Sum scores on page 4 –High score = currently see self as close to ideal Represents the state where all the rewards you could get are attained

Schema Three types of schemas “Ought” self –What self should you be Sum scores on page 2 –High score = currently see self as close to how one ought to be Represents the state where no punishments or other bad events will occur

Ideal SelfOught SelfActual Self Rarely are either “ideal self” or “ought self” The further you are from the ideal self Depression! The further you are from the ought self Anxiety! Depression caused by disappointment Anxiety caused by fear

More selves How many “actual” selves do you have? The actual self you have in working memory depends on –Who you are with –What you are doing

Working Self-Concept What is your self like when you are.... With romantic partner With your family At school At work

Working Self-Concept Problem! Romantic Dependable Angry Hard Worker No “true” self / No identity

Working Self-Concept What “self” determines which “self” to use?

Problem What “self” determines which “self” to use?

Working Self-Concept Problem! Where does it stop? Self as studentSelf as psychology student Self as personality psychology student Self as personality psychology student in lecture Self as personality psychology student studying Self as personality psychology student taking test

Working Self-Concept Problem! People tend to behave the same across situations!

Questionnaire Is talkative Is not reserved Is full of energy Generates a lot of enthusiasm Tends not to be quiet Has an assertive personality Is outgoing, sociable

Schema vs. Traits Two names for the same underlying construct Big-5 (extraversion) Schema researchers vs. Trait researchers

Remember

Schemas Can be thought of as a strategy Sequence of activities to attain a goal

Strategies Narrow Strategies How an individual acts around specific people –Automatic –Script

Questionnaire 1. In uncertain times, I usually expect the best. 2. It’s easy for me to relax. 3. If something can go wrong for me, it will. 4. I always look on the bright side of things. 5. I’m always optimistic about my future. 6. I enjoy my friends a lot. 7. It’s important for me to keep busy. 8. I hardly ever expect things to go my way. 9. Things never work out the way I want them to. 10. I don’t get upset too easily. 11. I’m a believer in the idea that “every cloud has a silver lining”. 12. I rarely count on good happening to me.

Strategies Broad Strategies Exist across situations (like traits!) –“Characteristic adaptations” Optimistic strategy –Always assume the best will happen Pessimistic strategy –Assume that the worst is likely to happen

Strategies Optimistic strategy vs. Pessimistic strategy How do you deal with a stressful test?

Strategies Optimistic strategy Expect to do the best Pessimistic strategy Expect the worst (then be happy when it doesn’t happen) –“Defensive pessimists” Both work just as well! –Different patch to reach the same goal

Goals

Questionnaire Think about goals that are currently important to you and the specific things you will do to attain these goals. Write down 10 of your goals.

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Goals Goals influence..... what you attend to what you think about what you do Idiographic –Goals that are unique to an individual “Get a date with Bob” Nomothetic –Goals that are common in almost everyone “Be loved by others”

Goals Hierarchal Experience love Find romantic partner Go to a partyBuy nice clothes Take a shower Get a job Call friends Markey, 2002 Long-Term Nomothetic Short-Term Idiographic Want a balance focused on goal types

Goals Are there “basic” nomothetic goals? Much research in this area is trying to reduce idographic goals into broader nomothetic goals –Like the Big-Five did with traits! Kaiser “why” study McClelland’s needs Markey and Ozer’s Agency and Communion

Goals 1) Provide a “plan of action” 2) Motivate our behavior 3) Focus our attention What we attend to What we think about –This can be good or bad! Flexibility and balance are key!

Putting it all together

Judgment and Development goals Judgment Goals –Goals that seek to judge or validate an attribute in oneself e.g., “Make others know that I am the smartest one in the class” Development Goals –Goals that attempt to improve once e.g., “Become the smartest person in the class”

Judgment and Development goals Help determine how a person will react to failure F

Judgment and Development goals Judgment Goals “Helpless pattern” pattern –Will not try harder….just conclude “I can’t do it” Development Goals “Mastery-oriented” pattern –Tries harder next time

Judgment and Development goals What caused these different goals to be set? A stable characteristic (i.e., a trait)

Questionnaire You have a certain amount of intelligence and you really can’t do much to change it Your intelligence is something about you that you can’t change very much You can learn new things but you can’t really change your basic intelligence

Entity and Incremental Theories Entity Theory –Personal qualities are fixed an unchangeable e.g., IQ, happiness, etc. Incremental Theories –Personal qualities can change over time and with experience e.g., IQ, happiness, etc.

Putting it together Entity theory Incremental theory Developmental Goals Judgment Goals Mastery- Oriented Pattern Helpless Pattern Failure