Self-AwarenessSelf-Awareness““Becoming a person means Becoming a person means that the individual moves that the individual moves

toward being, knowingly and toward being, knowingly and acceptingly, the process acceptingly, the process which [s]he inwardly and which [s]he inwardly and actually is.” –Carl Rogersactually is.” –Carl Rogers

Development of our “Self-Development of our “Self-Image”Image”

• Early emotional experiences Early emotional experiences influence our concept of “Who I am”influence our concept of “Who I am”

• Because we are influenced by all of Because we are influenced by all of our experiences, self-image is not a our experiences, self-image is not a singular concept but rather an array singular concept but rather an array of understanding.of understanding.

Significant OthersSignificant Others

• The important people in our lives The important people in our lives (not just a single important person)(not just a single important person)

• Significant others in our lives convey Significant others in our lives convey messages about us that we interpret messages about us that we interpret as importantas important

• From all this information, we From all this information, we construct a mental “blueprint” of construct a mental “blueprint” of who we are and what we are capable who we are and what we are capable ofof

To ponder and discussTo ponder and discuss

• Who are the significant others in your Who are the significant others in your life today? life today?

• Who were the significant others in Who were the significant others in your childhood? your childhood?

• To whom are you a significant other?To whom are you a significant other?

Social ComparisonSocial Comparison

• The process in which individuals The process in which individuals evaluate their thoughts, feelings, evaluate their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and abilities in relation to behaviors, and abilities in relation to other people.other people.

• Social comparison allows us a way to Social comparison allows us a way to decide if we are the same or decide if we are the same or different, inferior or superior relative different, inferior or superior relative to othersto others

Social ComparisonSocial Comparison

• Our interpretation of sameness or Our interpretation of sameness or difference relative to others will difference relative to others will influence our sense of belonging or influence our sense of belonging or isolationisolation

• Our interpretation of inferiority or Our interpretation of inferiority or superiority relative to others will superiority relative to others will influence our sense of capability and influence our sense of capability and worthworth

Freud’s Personality Freud’s Personality StructureStructure• Id—According to Freud, the source of Id—According to Freud, the source of

instinctual energy, which works on the instinctual energy, which works on the pleasure principle (seeking immediate pleasure principle (seeking immediate pleasure) and is concerned with pleasure) and is concerned with immediate gratification.immediate gratification.

• Superego—In Freud’s theory, the part of Superego—In Freud’s theory, the part of the personality that incorporates the personality that incorporates parental and societal standards of parental and societal standards of moralitymorality

Freud’s Personality Freud’s Personality StructureStructure• Ego—In Freud’s theory, the rational part of Ego—In Freud’s theory, the rational part of

the psyche that deals with reality by the psyche that deals with reality by controlling the id while also satisfying the controlling the id while also satisfying the superego; (from the Latin superego; (from the Latin egoego meaning meaning II))

• Reality principle—According to Freud, the Reality principle—According to Freud, the principle on which the conscious ego principle on which the conscious ego operates as it tries to meet the demands operates as it tries to meet the demands of the id and the superego and the of the id and the superego and the realities of the environment.realities of the environment.

Alfred Adler—Individual Alfred Adler—Individual PsychologyPsychology

• Our goals in life provide the source of our Our goals in life provide the source of our motivation—to obtain security and motivation—to obtain security and overcome feelings of inferiorityovercome feelings of inferiority

• Inferiority Complex—feelings of inferiority Inferiority Complex—feelings of inferiority develop from early childhood experiences develop from early childhood experiences of helplessness and incompetenceof helplessness and incompetence

• Birth order and family constellation are Birth order and family constellation are important concepts for Adlerian Psychologyimportant concepts for Adlerian Psychology

Erikson’s Psychosocial Erikson’s Psychosocial TheoryTheory

• Psychosocial Stages—Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages—Erikson’s theory that individuals pass theory that individuals pass through eight developmental through eight developmental stages, each involving a crisis stages, each involving a crisis that must be successfully that must be successfully resolved.resolved.

Erikson’s Stages 1 & 2Erikson’s Stages 1 & 2

• Trust vs. Mistrust (0-1)—Infants Trust vs. Mistrust (0-1)—Infants learn to trust that their needs will be learn to trust that their needs will be met by the world, especially by the met by the world, especially by the mother; if not, mistrust developsmother; if not, mistrust develops

• Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (1-Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (1-3)—Toddlers learn to exercise will, 3)—Toddlers learn to exercise will, to make choices, to control to make choices, to control themselves, if not, they become themselves, if not, they become uncertain and doubt that they can uncertain and doubt that they can do things by themselvesdo things by themselves

Erikson’s Stages 3 & 4Erikson’s Stages 3 & 4• Initiative vs. Guilt (3-6)—Preschool Initiative vs. Guilt (3-6)—Preschool

children learn to initiate activities children learn to initiate activities and enjoy their accomplishments, if and enjoy their accomplishments, if not, they feel guilty for their not, they feel guilty for their attempts at independenceattempts at independence

• Industry vs. inferiority (6-12)—Industry vs. inferiority (6-12)—Elementary school age children Elementary school age children develop a sense of industry and develop a sense of industry and learn productive skills their culture learn productive skills their culture requires, if not, they feel inferiorrequires, if not, they feel inferior

Erikson’s Stages 5 & 6Erikson’s Stages 5 & 6

• Identity vs. Role Confusion (12-20)—Identity vs. Role Confusion (12-20)—Adolescents develop a coherent sense Adolescents develop a coherent sense of self and their role in society or they of self and their role in society or they face identity and role confusionface identity and role confusion

• Intimacy vs. Isolation (20-30)—Young Intimacy vs. Isolation (20-30)—Young adults form intimate connections with adults form intimate connections with others; if not, they face isolation and others; if not, they face isolation and consequent self-absorptionconsequent self-absorption

Erikson’s Stages 7 & 8Erikson’s Stages 7 & 8• Generativity vs. Stagnation (30-65)—Generativity vs. Stagnation (30-65)—

Middle-aged adults develop concern for Middle-aged adults develop concern for establishing, guiding, and influencing establishing, guiding, and influencing the next generation; if not, they the next generation; if not, they experience stagnation (a sense of experience stagnation (a sense of lifelessness)lifelessness)

• Ego Integrity vs. Despair (65+)—Older Ego Integrity vs. Despair (65+)—Older people enter a period of reflection and people enter a period of reflection and life review. They either achieve a sense life review. They either achieve a sense of integrity for the lives they’ve lived of integrity for the lives they’ve lived and accept death, or yield to despair and accept death, or yield to despair that their lives cannot be relivedthat their lives cannot be relived

Stages of Adult Stages of Adult DevelopmentDevelopment

• Levinson (1986) studied adult Levinson (1986) studied adult development and presented development and presented eight additional stages of adult eight additional stages of adult developmentdevelopment

Levinson’s StagesLevinson’s Stages• Identify formation (18-22)Identify formation (18-22)

• Getting established (22-28)Getting established (22-28)

• Wavering and doubt (28-32)Wavering and doubt (28-32)

• Getting Settled (32-40)Getting Settled (32-40)

• Mid-life transition or crisis (40-45)Mid-life transition or crisis (40-45)

• Commitment to tasks (45-50)Commitment to tasks (45-50)

• Questioning and modification (50-55)Questioning and modification (50-55)

• Facing retirement and fulfillmentFacing retirement and fulfillment

Trait TheoriesTrait Theories• Trait—A relatively stable and Trait—A relatively stable and

consistent characteristic that can be consistent characteristic that can be used to describe someoneused to describe someone

• Five-Factor Model (FFM)—Trait theory Five-Factor Model (FFM)—Trait theory that explains personality in terms of that explains personality in terms of a Big Five model—openness, a Big Five model—openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, conscientiousness, extraversion, aggreeableness, and neuroticismaggreeableness, and neuroticism

Carl RogersCarl Rogers

• ““The father of humanistic psychology”The father of humanistic psychology”• Humans strive toward Humans strive toward Self ActualizationSelf Actualization

(becoming their own best self)(becoming their own best self)• Unconditional Positive RegardUnconditional Positive Regard—Love —Love

that is given freely and which does not that is given freely and which does not depend on any specific behaviors or traitsdepend on any specific behaviors or traits

• This type of acceptance leads to This type of acceptance leads to unimpaired growth and developmentunimpaired growth and development

Viktor FranklViktor Frankl

• Our task as humans is to create Our task as humans is to create meaning or purpose in our livesmeaning or purpose in our lives

• Freedom and responsibility lead Freedom and responsibility lead to to existential anxietyexistential anxiety

• The significance of our existence The significance of our existence is never fixed once and for allis never fixed once and for all

Virginia SatirVirginia Satir

• Interpersonal relations—what Interpersonal relations—what happens inside and between happens inside and between people—is the picture of the people—is the picture of the individual worthindividual worth

• A person who appreciates his/her A person who appreciates his/her own self-worth will be better able own self-worth will be better able to respect the self-worth of othersto respect the self-worth of others

• Self-worth is learned through our Self-worth is learned through our interactionsinteractions

Satir—GrowthSatir—Growth

• Human beings change and grow Human beings change and grow throughthrough– Communication of feelings—all Communication of feelings—all

feelings are okayfeelings are okay– Belief that a person is able to Belief that a person is able to

changechange– Full use of the senses—see freely, Full use of the senses—see freely,

touch freely, hear freely, etc.touch freely, hear freely, etc.

Thoughts and Thoughts and EnvironmentEnvironment• Our thoughts influence our Our thoughts influence our

feelings and behaviorsfeelings and behaviors• Self-talk—the internal dialogue I Self-talk—the internal dialogue I

have with myself—messages I have with myself—messages I give myself about who I amgive myself about who I am

• Positive thinking—how do we Positive thinking—how do we convey our worldview to convey our worldview to ourselves—”Is the glass half-full ourselves—”Is the glass half-full or half-empty?”or half-empty?”

Cognitive and Social Cognitive and Social LearningLearning

• Focus on the interaction between Focus on the interaction between the individual and the environmentthe individual and the environment

• It is not what happens to us but It is not what happens to us but rather what we think about what rather what we think about what happens to us that matters mosthappens to us that matters most

• Reciprocal Determinism—the Reciprocal Determinism—the interacting influences between interacting influences between person, behavior and environmentperson, behavior and environment

The SelfThe Self

• According to Rogers, the Self:According to Rogers, the Self:– Is organized and consistentIs organized and consistent– Includes one’s perceptions of all that Includes one’s perceptions of all that

comprises “I” or “me”comprises “I” or “me”– Includes the relationship among I or me an Includes the relationship among I or me an

other people and features of life, as well as other people and features of life, as well as the value and importance of these the value and importance of these relationshipsrelationships

– Is available to consciousness but it is not Is available to consciousness but it is not always conscious at any given momentalways conscious at any given moment

– The shape of the self is constantly The shape of the self is constantly changing, yet always recognizablechanging, yet always recognizable

The Personal Self-ImageThe Personal Self-Image

• The part of the self that includes The part of the self that includes physical, behavioral and physical, behavioral and psychological characteristics psychological characteristics that establish uniqueness, it that establish uniqueness, it includes racial/ethnic identity, includes racial/ethnic identity, age, and status—who you THINK age, and status—who you THINK you areyou are

The “Real Self”The “Real Self”

• In order to discover one’s Real Self, In order to discover one’s Real Self, one must separate what is real one must separate what is real from the Personal Self-Imagefrom the Personal Self-Image

• One cannot really discover the Real One cannot really discover the Real Self until one is ready to accept the Self until one is ready to accept the possibility that everything you possibility that everything you believe about yourself at this point believe about yourself at this point may be wrong.may be wrong.

Self-EsteemSelf-Esteem

• The overall evaluation of oneselfThe overall evaluation of oneself

• How we evaluate ourselves is a How we evaluate ourselves is a crucial element in our crucial element in our psychological adjustmentpsychological adjustment

• Positive self-esteem effects our Positive self-esteem effects our physical well-being as well as physical well-being as well as our likelihood for successour likelihood for success

Improving Self-EsteemImproving Self-Esteem

• Recognize that you are in control Recognize that you are in control of your self-imageof your self-image

• Be able to accept all parts of Be able to accept all parts of your physical appearance nowyour physical appearance now

• Affirm your strengthsAffirm your strengths

• List your faultsList your faults

• Listen to your Inner VoiceListen to your Inner Voice

Improving Self-EsteemImproving Self-Esteem

• Make the Growth Choice rather Make the Growth Choice rather than the Fear Choicethan the Fear Choice

• Shed perfectionistic demandsShed perfectionistic demands

• Become more synergisticBecome more synergistic

• Do not overburden yourself with Do not overburden yourself with workwork

• Keep a diaryKeep a diary

• Keep a sense of humorKeep a sense of humor

Daily Practices for the Real Daily Practices for the Real YouYou

• Living consciouslyLiving consciously

• Self-acceptanceSelf-acceptance

• Self-responsibilitySelf-responsibility

• Self-assertivenessSelf-assertiveness

• Living purposefullyLiving purposefully

• Personal integrityPersonal integrity