Definition of self

The self in the social world is how a person perceives whom they are. The way a person sees his or herself is not always the way the rest of the world sees him or her. There are several different concepts of the self, including self-concept, self-esteem, self-presentation, self-efficacy, and perceived self-control. These concepts can be affected through a person’s life by a desire to change, different events in life, relationships with family, friends, coworkers, and other people in a person’s life.
A person’s self-concept is how a person defines whom they are (Meyers, 2010). According to Meyers (2010), “self-concept consists of two elements: the self-schemas that guide our processing of self-relevant information, and the possible selves that we dream of or dread (pg. 51).” Self-esteem is a person’s feeling of self-worth (Meyers, 2010). Self-esteem can be influenced by a person’s parents telling them they are good and praising them when they do good things, it can also be influenced by his or her own achievements (Meyers, 2010). There are many different parts of life that can affect a person’s self-esteem like home life, school, college, work, religion, and friendships. Success in any or all of these areas can lead to a high self-esteem while failure or bad relationships can lead to a person with a low self-esteem.
Self-presentation is the way a person behaves or expresses themselves to create a positive impression or an impression that goes along with one’s ideals (Meyers, 2010). A person will present an image of his or herself that they desire themselves or that he or she believes others want to see. A person will put forth self-presentation without thinking about it while a person in a strange or important situation will try to put forth the self-presentation they think is desired for that situation whether it be a party or job interview (Meyers, 2010). Self-efficacy is the sense that a person is effective and competent, a person can have high