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CHAPTER 11
The Self, Identity, and Personality
© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
The Self
Self-understanding Self: All characteristics of a person
Self-understanding, self-esteem, self-concept
Identity: Who a person is, representing a synthesis of self-understanding
Personality: Individuals’ enduring personal characteristics
When does self-understanding Begin? Rebecca Elder
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The Self
Self-understanding Middle and Late Childhood
Increased awareness of social standing Self-understanding becomes more complex Understanding others
Realize others have access to more information Assume others understand them, too.
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The Self
Self-understanding Perspective-taking: Ability to assume
another’s perspective and understand his or her thoughts and feelings Important in children developing prosocial and
antisocial attitudes and behaviors Affects peer status and quality of friendships
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The Self
Middle and Late Childhood Self-understanding: five key changes
Internal characteristics emphasized More referencing in social descriptions More use of social comparisons Distinguish between real self and ideal self Realistic in self-evaluations
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Carl Rogers and Self-Concept
Real self - one’s perception of actual characteristics, traits, and abilities
Ideal self – what one should or would like to be
IDEALSELF
REALSELF
Match = Harmony
IDEALSELF
REALSELF
Mismatch = Anxiety
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The Self
Self-esteem and self-concept Self-esteem: Self-worth, self-image
Refers to global self-evaluation
Self-concept: Domain-specific evaluations of self
Distinct: not really interchangeable
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The Self
Issues in self-esteem Modest correlation with school performance Linked to job performance; correlations vary Related to perceived physical appearance
across life-span Depression lowers high self-esteem Self-esteem in adolescence appears linked to
adjustment and competencies in adulthood
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Erikson’s Life-Span Development Theory
Development proceeds in stages
Each stage is characterized by a psychosocial challenge or crisis
Stages reflect the motivation of the individual
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Erik Erikson’s Eight Stages of Human Development
1 - Trust vs. mistrust
2 - Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
3 - Initiative vs. guilt
4 - Industry vs. inferiority
5 - Identity vs. identity confusion
6 - Intimacy vs. isolation
7 - Generativity vs. stagnation
8 - Integrity vs. despair
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Erikson’s Human Development Stages
1 - Trust vs. Mistrust
0–1 years
2 - Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt 1–3 years
3 - Initiative vs. Guilt3–5 years
Developed through consistent love and support
Independence fostered by support and encouragement
Developed by exploring and accepting challenges
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Erikson’s Human Development Stages
4 - Industry vs. Inferiority6 years–puberty
5 - Identity vs. Role ConfusionAdolescence
6 - Intimacy vs. IsolationEarly adult years
Mastery comes from success and recognition
Exploration of different paths to attain a healthy identity
Form positive, close relationships with others
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Erikson’s Human Development Stages
7 - Generativity vs. StagnationMiddle Adulthood
8 - Integrity vs. DespairLate Adulthood
Transmitting something positive to the next generation
Life review and retrospective evaluation of one’s past
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Self-Concept and Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is the affective or emotional reaction to one’s self-concept.
Self-concept is a cognitive appraisal of our social, physical, and academic competence.
CognitiveAcademic Social Physical
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The Self
Developmental changes in self-esteem Concern today: Unmerited praise as child
linked to inflated self-esteem in college students; difficulty handling competition and criticism
Adulthood Results vary on self-esteem decreasing Individual coping skills affects perceptions of changes,
events; social context matters
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Strategies for Erikson’s Stages of Development
Initiative Encourage social play Have children assume responsibility Structure assignments for success
Industry Nourish motivation for mastery Be tolerant of honest mistakes
Identity Recognize that identity is multidimensional Encourage independent thinking Stimulate students to examine different
perspectives
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Identity
Developmental changes Identity statuses by Marcia
Crisis: Period for exploring alternative identities Commitment: Personal investment in identity Young adolescents primarily in statuses of diffusion,
foreclosure, or moratorium Handouts
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Ethnic Identity …
“is an enduring aspect of the self that includes a sense of membership in an ethnic group,
along with the attitudes and feeling related to that membership” (Phinney, 2006) (as cited in
Santrock, 2009).
Positive ethnic identity Higher school engagement Lower aggression good coping
Affected by higher education
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Personality
Definition: Enduring personal characteristics
Trait theories Traits: Ways to describe a person by
behaviors Basic units/building blocks of personality
Five big factors: OCEAN Led to advancements in assessing personality Most believe personality is result of trait-situation
interaction
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Figure 11.7 - Big Five Factors of Personality
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Personality
Views on adult personality development Stage crisis view: Erikson, Levinson
Levinson’s seasons of a man’s life Stage and transitions occur in life span Tasks/crisis in each stage shape personality Levinson’s midlife crisis in 40s: try to cope with
gap between past and future Vaillant’s Grant Study
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Early Adult Transition: 17 to 22 Entry life structure for early adulthood: 22 to 28 Age 30 transition: 28 to 33 Culminating life structure for early adulthood: 33 to 40
Middle Adult Transition: ages 40 to 45 Entry life structure for middle adulthood: 45 to 50 Age 50 transition: 50 to 55 Culminating life structure for middle adulthood: 55 to 60 Era of late adulthood: 60 to ?
Late Adult Transition: 60 to 65
Levinson’s Seasons of Life
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Personality
Individual variations Individuals have different experiences,
ways of adapting, expectations, perceptions of needs, and giving meaning to one’s life Stage theories stress stage crises too much Too much emphasis on midlife crisis Great variation in how individuals experience stages
(coping abilities, emotions)
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Personality
Life events approach Alternative to stage approach Contemporary life-events approach
How a life event influences individual’s development depends on The life event Individual’s adaptation to the life event Life-stage context Sociohistorical context