1. The self

2. History of self research
Festinger’s social comparison theory (1957)
What are some critiques of the area?
More recently bigger theories
TMT
Sociometer
Cultural approaches
Also, controversies (e.g., ego depletion, whether there is a true self)

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

4. 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 vs. self-projection
Self-serving biases (incl. self-deception)
Self-control
Cultural differences

5. What is self esteem? Rosenberg (1965) scale What is it good for?
Sociometer theory (Leary, 1995)
Is high SE always good?

6. More self research Self-presentation
Self-handicapping
Self evaluation maintenance theory (Tesser, 1988)
Reflect vs. compare
Closeness, relevance, performance
Self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987; actual, ought, and ideal selves)
Promotion vs. prevention focus –regulatory focus theory (Higgins, 1997)

7. Big questions Do we have a true sense of self?
What does it do for us? Is it a positive thing?
What are our basic (fundamental) needs and how do those relate to our sense of self?

8. Narcissism Narcissistic Personality Inventory
Authority, self-sufficiency, superiority, exhibitionism, exploitativeness, vanity, entitlement (mainly grandiose)
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

9. Watts et al., 2015 How did they assess narcissism?
Presidential performance?
What factors did they control for?
What were the results? (see Tables)
What about covariates?
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?

10. Terror management theory
Greenberg, Pyszczynski, & Solomon, 1986
Existential, psychodynamic, evolutionary theory
Becker (1973)
What are the main questions the theory addresses?
What is the “terror”?
Why do we need SE, according to TMT?
What is a cultural worldview (CWV)?

11. More on TMT Basic tenets Dual defense model (proximal vs. distal)
Anxiety buffering hypothesis
Mortality salience hypothesis
DTA hypothesis
Dual defense model (proximal vs. distal)

12. TMT research MS manipulations/controls and measures of DTA
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?

13. Back to theory How does this system develop?
What does TMT say about our “animal nature”?
How does it relate to religion and culture?
How does it explain psychological disorders?

14. 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

15. 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

16. How would TMT explain Phobias
Why people pretend that that sound and smell didn’t come from them
People going to tanning booths when they know it’s bad
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)
Negative attitudes toward transgender people

17. Responses to Charlottesville
Responses to Houston
Just world hypothesis
Social identity theory
Ego depletion
Cognitive dissonance
Optimal distinctiveness

18. Human self as information agent
Baumesiter, Maranges, & Vohs, 2017
What are their main points?
What is the purpose of a self, according to this view?
What is your evaluation of their arguments?
How does this theory compare to and fit with TMT?

19. What is a theory of mind?
Coherence vs. accuracy vs. consensus
What examples did you agree or disagree with?
What other evidence is there that we try to construct a shared reality? (other effects, theories)
How could you test this theory?

20. Next week Cultural differences, emotion, morality Chapter in book
AESP article (click link on name)
Science article (with supplementary, commentary)
PSPR on morality and emotions