COMMUNICATION AND THE SELF 3 COMMUNICATION AND THE SELF © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.

What’s To Come Understanding the Self: Self-Concept Valuing the Self: Self-Esteem Presenting the Self: Image Management Communicating the Self: Self-Disclosure

Self-Concept Who are you? Your self-concept reflects your stable ideas about who you are Your self-concept is your identity

Self-Concept Self-concepts are multifaceted Self-concepts are partly subjective Self-concepts are enduring but changeable

Self-Concept The Johari Window

Self-Concept Many factors affect our self-concept Personality and biology Culture and gender roles Reflected appraisal Social comparison

Self-Concept We manage our self-concepts through self- monitoring Awareness of how we look, sound, and affect others Low Self- Monitor High Self- Monitor

Self-Concept Self-fulfilling prophecies can reinforce our self-concept We have expectations based on how we perceive ourselves and others Our expectations prompt us to act in specific ways Those actions bring about the outcomes we expected Our self-concepts are therefore reinforced

Self-Esteem Your self-esteem is your subjective evaluation of your value and worth as a person Can influence social behavior, how we see ourselves and others, and school and work performance Affected by culture and sex

Self-Esteem We have three fundamental needs with respect to self-esteem: Need for control Need for inclusion Need for affection

Image Management Image management means adjusting our behavior to project a desired image Image management is collaborative We manage multiple identities Image management is complex

Image Management We manage three face needs Fellowship face Autonomy face Competence face

Self-Disclosure Self-disclosure is the act of intentionally giving others information about ourselves that we believe to be true but we think they don’t already have

Self-Disclosure Self-disclosure is intentional and truthful Self-disclosure varies in breadth and depth Self-disclosure varies among relationships Self-disclosure is a gradual process

Self-Disclosure Self-disclosure follows a different pattern online Self-disclosure is usually reciprocal Self-disclosure can serve many purposes Self-disclosure is influenced by cultural and gender roles

Self-Disclosure Self-disclosure has benefits Enhancement of relationships and trust Reciprocity Emotional release Assistance to others

Self-Disclosure Self-disclosure has risks Rejection Chance of obligating others Hurt to others Violation of other people’s privacy Risks of disclosing online