1. 3- Communication and the Self
1. Understanding the Self: Self-Concept
2. Valuing the Self: Self-Esteem
3. Presenting the Self: Image Management
4. Communicating the Self: Self-Disclosure

2. Reflection Who are you? How do you see yourself?
How do others see you?

3. Self-Concept
Composed of those stable ideas over the course of life/ how you believe you are most of the time
Self-Concept or “Identity” is multifaceted, partly subjective, and enduring but changeable

4. Multifaceted Multiple Selves- smaller selves that represent only one aspect of who a person is
physical or social categories (woman, American)
skills or interests (painter, artistic)
Relationships/ roles (mother, student)
evaluations (outgoing)

5. Big 5 Personality Traits
1. openness
2. conscientiousness
3. extroversion
4. agreeableness
5. neuroticism
How would you describe yourself according to the Big 5 Personality Traits?
Is this good or bad?

6. Partly Subjective Based on impressions of ourselves rather than facts.
Facts: race, physical traits, age, profession
Impressions: intelligence, talents, personality traits, individuality, attractiveness
Is your self-concept more positive or negative?
Self-Esteem

7. Social Behavior High Self-Esteem Low Self-Esteem
more outgoing/ confident
more aggressive
more sexually active
initiate/ end relationships
antisocial/ social anxiety
loneliness/ depression
substitute interpersonal relationships w/ media

8. Culture and Self-Esteem
High Self-Esteem (In order): African Americans, Non-Hispanic Caucasians, Hispanic, Native American, Asian
Discrimination and Stigma aside: 1. value at what they excel, 2. attribute problems to prejudices in society rather than own behavior, 3. compare themselves with others in own group

9. Enduring but Changeable Self-Concept is developed over a lifetime and affected by factors
Personality and Biology (the way you tend to think and act) > where we grew up, how we were raised, biological genes and traits
Culture and Gender Roles (the groups we belong) > emphasis on tendencies of roles
Reflected Appraisal (beliefs concerning what others think) > positive and negative messages
Social Comparison (comparing oneself to others) > reference groups or peers

10. Awareness and Management Self-Monitoring
Positives
Negatives
think of how the way we look or sound affects others
manage an impression
make others feel at ease
more intuitive about others feelings
hard to relax and live in the moment/ “over- thinkers”
Seen as less genuine and trustworthy

11. Awareness and Management Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
A situation in which a prediction causes people to act and communicate in ways that make the prediction come true
Expectations lead you to act in a certain way that alters the communication
Example: Shy Co-worker/ Bad kid/ “Boys will be boys”

12. Seeing Ourselves and Others
High Self-Esteem
Low Self-Esteem
happier (individualistic)
recognize and manage emotions (emotional intelligence)
more negative
more judgmental
more prejudices
predictor of suicide

13. Performance Performance is limited to social and emotional areas
No support that self-esteem benefits academic performance or job performance
Building self-esteem can lead to unsupported confidence

14. Activity
Perception- U0uNGUxdyo

15. Presenting the Self: Image Management
Image- the way one wishes to be seen or perceived by others
Image Management- the process of projecting one’s desired public image

16. Managing Image
Collaborative- A life story based on self-concept influenced by others
Multiple Identities- The role exhibited in the context of others: friends, family, co-workers, acquaintances. (Invisible Medical Conditions)
Complex- Competing goals/ creating narratives to preserve image

17. Managing Face Face- desired pubic image
facework- behaviors used to project desired image
face needs- components of desired image (fellowship, autonomy, and competence)
fellowship face- need to feel liked and accepted
autonomy- need to avoid feeling imposed upon by others
competence- need to be respected and viewed as competent and intelligent
face- threatening act- any behavior that threatens one or more face needs

18. Self-Disclosure Benefits Risks enhances relationships and trust
reciprocity
emotional release
assistance to others
rejection
obligating others
hurting others
violating others privacy/ gossip

19. Breadth and Depth: Social Penetration Theory (The Onion)

20. The 4-Part Self Open- known to both Hidden- known to self
Blind- known to others but not self
Unknown- known to neither the self or others

21. Disclosing Online
hyperpersonal- more personal in nature than if face-to-face
Can be liberating or damaging
Text trail
postcyberdisclosure- regret or distress about info that they or others posted