History of self research Festinger’s social comparison theory (1957) Mini-theory criticism More recent: cultural, TMT

What is a self? Who am I? 20 statements Baumeister definition Reflexive consciousness Interpersonal relations Making choices and exerting control Components Individual Relational Collective Approaches Cognitive Motivational Emotional

How do we know our “self”? Self-awareness theory (Duval & Wicklund, 1972) Escape from self (Baumeister, 1991) Self-concept vs. self-schema Self-reference effect Self-perception theory (Bem, 1965) Overjustification effect Self-enhancement vs. self-verification Self-serving biases (incl. self-deception) Cultural differences

What is self esteem? What is it good for? Sociometer theory (Leary, 1995) Is high SE always good?

Narcissism Narcissistic Personality Inventory Authority, self-sufficiency, superiority, exhibitionism, exploitativeness, vanity, entitlement 3 parts (Campbell & Foster, 2007) Positive self Relative lack of interest in types of interpersonal rels Self-regulatory strategies 2 parts (Miller & Campbell, 2008) Grandiose Vulnerable vs. NPD

Watts et al., 2015 How did they assess narcissism? Presidential performance? What factors did they control for? What were the results? What about covariates? Table 4 How does the N of Presidents compare to general public? Why would GN of Presidents have increased over time? Why would GN be good? Would these results be similar in more collectivistic cultures?

More self research Self-presentation Self-handicapping Self evaluation maintenance theory (Tesser, 1988) Reflect vs. compare Closeness, relevance, performance Self-regulation (actual, ought, and ideal selves) Promotion vs. prevention focus –regulatory focus theory (Higgins, 1997) Glucose and willpower Self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1995)

What are fundamental needs? Self-determination theory Sociometer theory TMT Deci & Ryan Fiske Other approaches? Is desire for status a fundamental need?

Criteria for fundamental needs (Anderson et al., 2015) Reaching goals related to the need affects well-being Must relate to many different behaviors It’s a goal in and of itself Observed across cultures, ages, genders, personalities, etc.

Status 3 components: Respect and admiration Voluntary deference Perceived instrumental social value Based on social exchange Perceived value Perceived willingness to help Contextual Relation to power, belonging, dominance, SES

Is status a fundamental motive? In what ways and with whom do you have status/not? Does it matter in what domain/group? Does status affect self-esteem? (relation to sociometer, TMT) Are perceptions of status = status? How do we monitor status? Is status a motive in and of itself? Is self-monitoring = status? (p. 14) Is avoiding conformity about status? Impression management?

Do we seek out groups where we are going to be higher status? Do we just want more than others (self-categorization theory)? Do we always want high status (system justification theory)? Do people consistently respond with anger to disrespect? What behaviors do we do to enhance status? How is need for status different from need for self-esteem? Does everyone have a need for status?

Terror management theory Existential psychodynamic theory (Greenberg, Pyszczynski, & Solomon, 1986) Evolutionary theory Becker’s ideas Humans unique in knowledge of own death Buffered by CWV and SE. Examples? MS leads to proximal defenses to delay to distal defenses Subliminal or DTA can go directly to distal

TMT research (Pyszczynski et al., 2015) Basic tenets? Mortality salience hypothesis Anxiety buffering hypothesis DTA hypothesis How does this integrate with status? Self-esteem? MS manipulations/controls and measures of DTA What is role of the delay? Proximal vs. distal effects Replication of effects (milder works better) How long would these effects last? Why doesn’t thinking about death lead to negative affect? How common is MS?

Research on TMT How does this system develop? How does MS relate to bodily functions? Why? How does it relate to the evolution of culture? To psychological disorders?

Critiques of TMT Not falsifiable Haven’t ruled out alternatives Doesn’t fit with evolutionary psych Doesn’t apply as well in other cultures Maybe it’s really Meaning Control Belonging Uncertainty Threat

Ideas for further research Other threats Other ways of thinking about death Determinations of which structure people choose? Not dying? Nonanxiety-related disorders Cultural differences

How would TMT explain Phobias Disgust with body functions People doing unhealthy things to fit in (smoking) Why women, not men, wear makeup Creativity Increases in birth rates after wars Bush’s positivity ratings after 9/11 Judgments of those who do immoral things even though they don’t affect us (e.g., cheating on spouse) Opposition to gay marriage

Next week Cultural differences, emotion, morality 2 chapters (emotion, cultural) 2 Science articles AESP available through google scholar PB on disgust