Self Concept

Self Concept

Self-concept is how someone appraises and views themselves (Mcleod, 2008). The image they have in their minds of who they are. Self-concept is also susceptible to change over time (cherry, 2020). In younger people, it is likely to be more pliant as it is in this stage that they undergo self-identity and discovery (cherry, 2020). the type of people you relate with are likely to influence how you perceive yourself since their reactions towards you or even you comparing yourself to them might formulate a concept in your mind.

Lewis explains that self-concept is not only formed but also develops in two facets (Mcleod, 2008). The first aspect is the existential self, where a child registers that they are a discrete being whose existence is separate from that of others. At this stage, the child notes movement; for instance, if the mother walks away from them, they realize that they are alone and might react by crying. The second facet is the categorical self, where the child understands that they, too, carry with them some attributes that place them in a particular category. They earn that their experiences with different people or things are affected by their characteristics. Children in their early years come up with concrete concepts about self, for instance, height and color, but as they grow older, their self-concepts are likely to be influenced by what others think about them.

A psychologist, Carl Rogers, believes that self-concept consists of three components that are; self-image, self-worth, and ideal self (cherry, 2020). Self-image is the perception on has on themselves (Mcleod, 2008). A person’s self-image description entails personal traits such as “I am honest,” social roles such as “I am a philanthropist,” or even physical appearance such as “I have a pointed nose.” Self-image must not always match reality as some people may have an elevated sense of their descriptions. In contrast, others may have preconceived assumptions on their flaws that other people do not recognize (cherry, 2020).  Self-esteem is the worth that one vests on them (Mcleod, 2008).

Regarding yourself highly means that you have high self-esteem while regarding the worth lowly means that you have low self-esteem. Level of self-esteem is likely to be influenced by factors such as; self-identity, social roles, how you compare yourself to others, and other people’s reactions to you. Whereas high self-esteem boosts one confidence and improves their perception of different things, low self-esteem to results to the contrary.

The aspect of the ideal self is what one wishes that they were (Mcleod, 2008). When the ideal self matches the reality, the person is congruent while incongruent results when the contrary happens. However, one needs congruency to attain self-actualization.

References

cherry, k. (2020). What Is Self-Concept and How Does It Form?. Verywell Mind. Retrieved 4 June 2020, from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-self-concept-2795865.

Mcleod, S. (2008). Self Concept. Simply psychology. Retrieved 4 June 2020, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/self-concept.html.