Self-Awareness © All photo clip art copyright of Microsoft Office Online

“Self-Image” Development A Journey, an evolving process Was I born this way? Many say self- image is acquired – a combination of all of our experiences Who am I? Discussion: –What significant experiences can you recall that have had an impact on your self-image? –How do we “filter” some of the experiences (put-downs, etc.) to preserve our self-image? © All photo clip art copyright of Microsoft Office Online

Significant Others Significant others impact our perception of ourselves Self-fulfilling prophecy Social comparison as a means of gaining self- knowledge Self-concept is important to a healthy self- esteem © All photo clip art copyright of Microsoft Office Online Discussion: –Who has been a significant person in your life? –In what way has that person influenced you? –How much control do we have over our self-concept? –Can we control the influence others have on us?

Personality Development Who am I? (Freud) –Id –Ego –Superego Inferiority complex (Adler) Psychosocial Development (Erikson) A life-long process Discussion: –What are your general reactions to the various theories of personality development? –Do you agree or disagree with any of the theorists? In what ways? –Do you identify with any of the stages of psychosocial development? In what ways?

Trait Theory Traits are the words we use to describe ourselves and others The “Big Five” (OCEAN) Self-Theory (Rogers) Search for Meaning (Frankl) Self-Worth (Satir) Discussion: –What are your reactions to the “self-accepting person” description in your text? –Can you think of ways you learned your self- worth? –How can we use Satir’s recommendations to change and grow to improve our sense of self-worth?

Thoughts + Environment = Personality? You can monitor thoughts and choose your environment to impact your sense of self- worth Think positively! Discussion: –How can you begin to use positive “self- talk” in your life? –What do you “tell” yourself? How do you think this “self- talk” (whether intentional or not) impacts your sense of self-worth? © All photo clip art copyright of Microsoft Office Online

Cognitive and Social Learning Theories How do we learn? Cognitive processes (learning) Social learning processes (observing others and modeling behavior) Reciprocal Determinism Discussion: –Which of the cognitive variables presented in the text do you identify with? –Can you think of a time that you have witnessed “reciprocal determinism” in your life? How does this influence our relationships with others? © All photo clip art copyright of Microsoft Office Online

Reciprocal Determinism Cognitive factors Behavioral factors Environmental factors

The Self The nature of the self: self- awareness differentiates humans from other primates Finding your real self Self-esteem Discussion: –Take some time to think about where your “personal self- image” came from? Break into small groups to share and find common themes. –Review list of high & low self-esteem traits presented in the text. Can you relate to any of these? If so, which? © All photo clip art copyright of Microsoft Office Online

Individualism vs. Collectivism Impacted by culture Focus on self vs. focus on “greater good of community” Discussion: –What are benefits of individualistic cultures? Collectivist cultures? –What can we learn from each? –How do these concepts impact self-esteem? © All photo clip art copyright of Microsoft Office Online

Self-Esteem Low self esteem may impact quality of life and can lead to depression The tendency to evaluate our own behavior as worthwhile is called self-serving bias Knowing traits of having a high self- esteem does not mean we will have it Discussion: –What are your general reactions to the strategies presented in the text in an effort to improve self- esteem? Which might you be likely to try? Which would you not try? Explain. –Take a few moments to write out an “action plan” as to how you will commit to trying at least one or two of the recommendations. © All photo clip art copyright of Microsoft Office Online

The Real Journey Growth and change is a journey, not a destination – this process takes time! Building self-esteem requires a life-long commitment to practices that nurture self and promote self- worth Discussion: –How do you see the “six principles and daily practices” presented in the text for building self-esteem active in your life? –How can you integrate the principles and practices that are currently not a part of your journey? © All photo clip art copyright of Microsoft Office Online