Self-concept and People
Self-concept is the cognitive thinking aspect of self also related to one’s self-image, it’s the way we see ourselves in the mirror. We are grown into our self-concept by what we learn when we are young from our parents or our peers. Self-concept is changed throughout life from how people look at you, how you compare to others, how your traditions and customs differ from other people, and how you feel about yourself. We all have concepts or perceptions of ourselves which continually develop and evolve over the course of our lifetimes. Self-concept or self-identity, in its full definition, is our perceived self, which consists of an organized collection of beliefs and attitudes about self (Seiler and Beall 63).
These self-concepts are the total appraisal of our self, who we are when we add up all of the bits and pieces of each of our lives. Our self-concept answers the question; do we have something to offer? A few of the most critical aspects in the development of an individual’s self-concept include our physical and emotional traits, our relationships with others (family, friends, co-workers, etc.), and our sense of self-worth or our self-esteem. An individual’s self-concept is constantly changing as we interact with and react to all of the different people we each encounter in our daily lives. The variety of roles we each play or fulfill in our day-to-day lives help to shape and reinforce our own unique self-concept. We should all continually evaluate and examine ourselves honestly and critically, and be willing to modify any behavior which needs modification, if we hope to become self-aware members of our society. I believe that potentially the most critical aspect of an individual’s self-concept comes from the childhood messages we all receive as we are growing up. How we view ourselves and how we feel or believe others perceive us begins to develop at a young age and continues to shape our development as we grow into adults and throughout our lives.
These self-concepts are the total appraisal of our self, who we are when we add up all of the bits and pieces of each of our lives. Our self-concept answers the question; do we have something to offer? A few of the most critical aspects in the development of an individual’s self-concept include our physical and emotional traits, our relationships with others (family, friends, co-workers, etc.), and our sense of self-worth or our self-esteem. An individual’s self-concept is constantly changing as we interact with and react to all of the different people we each encounter in our daily lives. The variety of roles we each play or fulfill in our day-to-day lives help to shape and reinforce our own unique self-concept. We should all continually evaluate and examine ourselves honestly and critically, and be willing to modify any behavior which needs modification, if we hope to become self-aware members of our society. I believe that potentially the most critical aspect of an individual’s self-concept comes from the childhood messages we all receive as we are growing up. How we view ourselves and how we feel or believe others perceive us begins to develop at a young age and continues to shape our development as we grow into adults and throughout our lives.
References: Seiler, William, and Melissa Beall. Communication: Making Connections. 8th ed. Boston: Pearson, (2011). 63. Print. Kaufman, Carolyn. Using Self-Fulfilling Prophecies to Your Advantage http://www.easybib.com/reference/guide/mla/website (2012)