PSY 226: Child and Adolescent Development The Development of Self

Learning Objectives (1) Differentiate between self-concept and self-esteem, understand how they are assessed, and how they are related. (2) Describe how the self-concept of teenagers is different from children. (3) Know the “dual masters” of self and discuss research examining: Self-other correspondence over time. The predictive validity of self-ratings.

Self-Concept and Self-Esteem: What Are They? Self-Concept: a cognitive evaluation one’s domain specific ability or competence (e.g., athletics, math, relating to others). Self-Esteem: an evaluation of one’s worth as a person. The evaluation is both cognitive and affective. How do they relate? The Self-Perception Profile by Susan Harter

Self-Concept Relates to Self-Esteem https://portfolio.du.edu/SusanHarter/page/44210

Development of Self: Early Childhood A Categorical Self When asked “Tell me who you are.” Concrete, Physical, Objective feature I am a girl I am four years old I have curly hair I have two brothers I have all the “Twilight Dolls” I have good teeth when I smile

Development of Self: Early Childhood Non-Integrated Self Features are not compared or cross-referenced Non-Conflicting Self Dualistic thinking – descriptions are in “either/or” rather than relative terms NOT LIKELY: “I’m better at playing “Twilight” than my younger brother, but my older brother is faster than me except when I get a head start.”

Development of Self: Early Childhood Positive Self Self description is often very favorable Egocentric “Actual” and “Ideal” selves are not distinct (W. James) Limited basis for social comparison Positive feedback bias Glowing, distorted, absence of negative feedback

Development of Self: Middle-to-Late Childhood Emergence of Social Comparison and Integration Relative Statements about Ability I’m tall and smart I’m the best at dodge ball I love play dodge ball Continued Positive Bias Limited basis social comparison Temporal, internal comparisons (I’m better than I was…”)

The Changing Self 2:15

Development of Self: Emerging Adolescence Differentiated, Hierarchically Integrated Self Emphasis on Psychological and Personality Characteristics Considerable Self-Other Comparison Allows for Self to Vary Across Situations/Contexts Allows for conflicting views of self I’m good at “fightin” and I isn’t none too good at “talkin’” “I’m smart at English but, but not math. But math is pretty useless because I’m going to be a writer, so who cares about numbers.” Social comparison leads to the emergence of social norms and peer group formation Select our friends based on “deep features” similarity Selective peer group reference allows for continued positive appraisal of self

Hongling Xie et al. “The looking-glass self” The Self: Dual Masters Maintain an objective, accurate view of the world “The looking-glass self”

The Looking Glass Self “We appear as selves in our conduct insofar as we take the attitude that others take towards us. We take the role of what may be called “generalized other.” -G.H. Mead (1925)

The Looking Glass Self

The Looking Glass Self “The development of the child could not go on at all without the constant modification of his sense of himself by suggestions from others. So he himself, at every stage, is really in part someone else, even in his own thought of himself.” -James Mark Baldwin (1897)

(2) Maintain high personal regard, sometimes in spite of reality. Hongling Xie et al. The Self: Dual Masters (2) Maintain high personal regard, sometimes in spite of reality.

William James on Self Esteem Self Esteem = success / pretentions (what are we good at / what do we aspire to be good at) Self Esteem must be and is often preserved by: Exclusion of negative information Selective inclusion of positive information Projecting a self that elicit a positive “looking glass”

Maintaining Personal Regard “The very purpose of existence is to reconcile the glowing opinion we hold of ourselves with the appalling things that other people think about us.” -Quentin Crisp

What’s the Function of Selfies?

Hongling Xie et al. The Self: Dual Masters 1. Maintain an objective, accurate view of the world Suggests the looking-glass view is accurate 2. Maintain high personal regard, sometimes in spite of reality Looking-glass is not accurate when feedback is negative Protection of “self-esteem” is equally important Suggests a basic tendency for “self-enhancement” Suggests a low correspondence between self & other

Hongling Xie et al.: “A Lack of Contemporary Association”

Xie et al.: “The Self-Other GAP” Independent correspondence between self and teacher ratings of competence in “math” and “spelling”

Xie et al.: Self Enhancement in “Spelling”

Xie et al.: Self Enhancement in “Popularity” teacher

Xie et al. Predictive Validity for Spelling

Xie et al. Predictive Validity for Math

Remember… Achieving a correspondence with the outside world is only one function of the self. Maintaining high personal regard is an important and necessary function too. Both functions remain important across development.

Correspondence Between Self-Other is Most Likely When… The characteristic is public, salient, and not personally defaming “Gets into Fights”

Correspondence Between Self-Other is Most Likely When… The characteristic is made very explicit and involves a highly concrete task Can you solve this problem? 2x + 4 = 12?

Correspondence Between Self-Other is Most Likely When… The reference group is clear and the individual is knowledgeable about the group The informants share the same biases

Self-Modesty Occurs Too… Physical Attractiveness teacher teacher self self GIRLS BOYS

Learning Objectives (1) Differentiate between self-concept and self-esteem, understand how they are assessed, and how they are related. (2) Describe how the self-concept of teenagers is different from children. (3) Know the “dual masters” of self and discuss research examining: Self-other correspondence over time. The predictive validity of self-ratings.

The Self-Esteem Movement Features Research By: Roy Baumeister Carol Dweck