Chapter 2, part 1

Self, Perception, and Communication

The Role of Self and Perception

Self-concept – how you think and feel about yourself

Perception – how you look at others and the world around you

What role does media play in each?

The Role of Self and Perception

How you look at the world depends on what you think about yourself and visa versa; perception and self-concept are closely related

Your communication is a direct result of both perception and self-concept

Your communication is always changing because your self-concept and perceptions are always changing

The Role of Self and Perception

Self-concept can set limitations on your behavior; risk-taking

Self-concept limits how you see the world; in essence you live in “your own little world” that you have built

Self-Concept

The self is mobile, personal, self-reflexive, and subject to change

Your self-concept is based on the values of the culture and the community you come from

Self-Concept

Self-concept is made up of:

1. Reflected appraisals

2. Social comparisons

3. Self-perception

Reflected Appraisals

You are NOT born with and identity, others give it to you

Reflected appraisals – messages you get about yourself from others; from parents, friends, etc (pos or neg)

“You are so

beautiful!” “You are never

going to amount

to anything!”

Reflected Appraisals

Scripts – these are lines that you are given to speak (from parents when you are you: “say thank you”) also when you are older (“You would be a great doctor because your father is a great doctor”)

Reflected Appraisals

If you were given positive reflected appraisals, you probably have a good self-concept

Self-fulfilling prophesies: you expect something to go badly so it does / good and it does. For example if your coach says “you are going to be a great player” you will do better because you try to live up to the expectations

Social Comparisons

Social comparison – comparing yourself with others to see how you measure up; necessary to developing self-perception

Body image is often judged against others

Where do the standards that we judge against come from? What are possible issues with the standards set in American in terms of body image?

Self-Perception

The way you see yourself; affect how you speak, what you say and act

This process is on-going and changingmade up of many variablesDepends on the phase of your

development

Self Perception

How can you make your self-perception more

positive?

Gender, Sex, and Self -Concept

Men and women gain their self-concept in different ways

Men – give most importance to social comparison; from parents; from achievements

Women – more importance to reflected appraisals; from friends; connections and attachments

Psychological Safety and Risk

Psychological safety – the support and approval that we get from familiar people is important to us

The need for approval and the need for safety and security often pull us in different directions or give us conflicting ideas (see Maslow next slide)

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs