Flashcards: The Social Self — 50 cards

What is the cocktail party effect?

The tendency to pick a personally relevant stimulus from a noisy environment.

Which species can recognize themselves in a mirror?

Great apes can recognize themselves in a mirror.

When do most humans begin to recognize themselves in a mirror?

Between 18 and 24 months of age.

Which brain areas become more active when people see themselves?

Areas related to emotions and memories.

When do brain areas related to emotions and memories become more active?

When people see themselves rather than another person.

What is the social self?

A sense of identity constructed and negotiated through social interactions.

What is self-esteem in the social self?

The affective component concerning self-evaluation and feelings.

What does self-presentation concern in the social self?

How people present themselves to others.

What is self-concept in the social self?

The cognitive component about understanding who one is.

What is trait self-esteem?

A person's enduring level of self-regard across time and contexts.

What does state self-esteem refer to?

Dynamic, changeable self-evaluations experienced as momentary feelings about the self.

How does self-esteem change from adolescence to old age?

It increases to peak at about age 50 to 60, then decreases at an accelerating pace into old age.

Which authors described self-esteem development in 2014?

Orth, U., & Robins, R. W.

What predicts self-esteem levels decades later?

Relatively high or low self-esteem at one life stage.

Who showed that self-esteem levels remain stable across decades?

Orth, U., & Robins, R. W., 2014.

What is the difference between general self-esteem and domain-specific self-evaluations?

General self-esteem concerns overall self-regard; domain-specific self-evaluations concern particular functioning areas.

Which study analyzed development of domain-specific self-evaluations?

Orth, U., Dapp, L. C., Erol, R. Y., Krauss, S., & Luciano, E. C., 2021.

What does sociometer theory propose about self-esteem's origin?

Self-esteem desire stems from the need to connect and gain others' approval.

What role does the inner sociometer play in sociometer theory?

It detects acceptance and rejection cues to adjust self-esteem levels.

According to terror management theory, how do people cope with death awareness?

By constructing and accepting cultural worldviews that provide meaning and reduce anxiety.

How is self-esteem described in terror management theory?

As a protective shield controlling potential terror.

What positive outcomes are linked to positive self-images?

Happiness, health, productivity, success, confidence, persistence, better sleep, and independence from peer pressure.

What does the actual self represent in self-discrepancy theory?

The person one currently is.

What does the ideal self represent in self-discrepancy theory?

The person one would like to be.

What does the ought self represent in self-discrepancy theory?

The person one believes one should be due to duties and obligations.

What emotional states can a mismatch between actual and ideal or ought selves cause?

Disappointment, depression, sadness, shame, or guilt.

What factors increase the emotional effect of a self-discrepancy?

The size of the discrepancy, importance of the domain, and attention to the discrepancy.

What are contingencies of self-worth?

Domains where self-esteem rises with success and falls with failure based on self-worth.

Which authors defined contingencies of self-worth in 2001?

Crocker, J., & Wolfe, C. T.

What is self-concept?

The sum of an individual's beliefs about their personal attributes.

What does a self-schema guide?

The processing of self-relevant information in a particular domain.

From which sources do self-concepts originate?

Introspection, autobiographical memories, socialization agents, and social comparisons.

What does social comparison theory state about self-evaluation?

People evaluate abilities and opinions by comparing themselves to others when objective measures are unavailable.

According to self-perception theory, how do people infer internal states?

By observing their own behavior when situational pressures don't explain it.

For which traits do others often know a person better than the person knows themselves?

Observable but highly evaluative traits.

For which traits do people generally know themselves better than others?

Internal traits that are difficult to observe.

What is self-enhancement bias?

The tendency to view oneself as better than average on important traits.

What behavior defines self-handicapping?

Sabotaging performance to protect self-esteem from failure.

How does basking in reflected glory increase self-esteem?

By associating with successful others.

How does cutting off reflected failure increase self-esteem?

By dissociating from unsuccessful others.

What does an independent view of the self emphasize?

Distinct psychological qualities, personal achievement, and individual rights.

What does an interdependent view of the self emphasize?

Social roles, responsibilities, and collective goals.

What is self-presentation?

The process of shaping others' and our own perceptions through behavior.

What is the spotlight effect?

The tendency to overestimate how much others notice us.

What is the goal of ingratiation in strategic self-presentation?

To get along with others and be liked.

What is the goal of self-promotion in strategic self-presentation?

To gain respect for competence.

What is self-verification?

The desire for others to see us as we see ourselves.

What is self-monitoring?

The tendency to regulate behavior based on social demands and self-presentation.

How do high self-monitors behave?

They adapt their behavior strategically across social settings.

How do low self-monitors describe themselves?

As principled and less willing to change for social situations.