1. Communication and the Self
Prof. Tamara Arrington
COM 252
University of Kentucky

2. Your Professor’s Self-Concept

3. Our Self-Concept Begins to develop at about 6 or 7 months
Almost totally a product of social interaction – through reflected appraisal and social comparison

4. Elements of the Self-Concept
Social Roles
Physical Characteristics
Intellectual Characteristics
Attitudes
Social Characteristics
Personality Characteristics
Material Charactersitics
Values
Skills and Accomplishments
Emotional States
Talents
Beliefs
Likes/Dislikes
Health
Friendships
Mating Relationship(s)

5. 2 Theories
Reflected Appraisal – perceptions of the judgements of those around us
Judgements of significant others are especially salient.
Social Comparison – evaluating ourselves in terms of how we compare to others
We use reference groups as a basis of comparison.

6. The Looking-Glass Self
Charles Horton Cooley (1912)
Labeled this “reflected appraisal”
“Each to each a looking glass, reflects the other that doth pass.”

7. What Makes An Appraisal Important?
Someone we see as competent offers it
The appraisal is seen as highly personal
It is reasonable in light of what we believe about ourselves
The appraisals are consistent and numerous

8. Cooley’s 3 Elements of the Self-Concept
How we think we appear to the other person
How we think that person judges our appearance
How we feel about ourselves in reaction to the other’s perception of us.
Each individual develops a self-concept that matches the way they believe others see them.

9. Characteristics of the Self-Concept
It is subjective (based on perception)
A healthy self-concept is flexible
The self-concept resists change (believed to be set well by age 30)

10. Changing Your Self-Concept
Have a realistic perception of yourself
Have the will to change
Have the skill to change
Recognize the power of self-fulfilling prophecies

11. Self-Esteem Is the part of the self-concept that evaluates self-worth
Is how you feel about those qualities in your self-concept
Is relatively stable across the lifespan

12. Persons With High (+) Self-Esteem Hamachek (1982)
Are likely to think well of others
Expect to be accepted by others
Evaluate their own performance more favorably
Perform well while being watched – do not fear other’s reactions
Work harder for people who demand high standards of performance
Feel comfortable with others whom they view as superior
Are able to defend themselves against negative comments

13. Persons With Low (-) Self-Esteem Hamachek (1982)
Are likely to disapprove of others
Expect to be rejected by others
Evaluate their own performance less favorably
Perform poorly while being watched
Work harder for undemanding, less critical people
Feel threatened by people they view as superior in some way
Sensitive to possible negative reactions
Have difficulty defending themselves
Are more easily influenced

14. William James (1890) The Empirical Self The material self
The social self
The spiritual self

15. George Herbert Mead 1863-1931 “Mind, Self, & Society” (1934)
                              
                              
                              
George Herbert Mead
“Mind, Self, & Society” (1934)
The self emerges from social interactions. In this process, the individual takes on the role of the “other” and internalizes the attitudes s/he perceives in both real and imagined others.

16. George Herbert Mead 1863-1931 Components of the Self: The I The Me
                              
                              
                              
George Herbert Mead
Components of the Self:
The I
The Me
The Generalized Other

17. Erving M. Goffman (1922-1982) Identity management
Public & private selves
The perceived self and the presenting self
Face - the socially approved identity
Facework – the ways in which we act to maintain “face”
We maintain “front” and “back regions”.
“The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life” (1967)

18. Characteristics of Identity Management
We strive to construct multiple identities
Identity management is collaborative (with an “audience”)
Can be deliberate or unconscious
People differ in their degree of identity management

19. How Do We Manage Impressions?
In face-to-face interactions
In mediated communication
Emoticons, avatars

20. I’m So Much Cooler Online