Chapter 9

The Self and Self Identity

1. One of the primary aspects of this period is adolescents’ personal search to understand themselves and to separate themselves as a unique person from others

1. self understanding develops as adolescents consider their unique roles and place themselves into "categories" defining who they are
2. these labels are more abstract and idealistic [note: Piaget]; adolescents may become self-conscious and preoccupied with self-understanding [again note: Piaget and egocentrism notions]
3. the categories can fluctuate over time and circumstances (signaling the importance of environmental and situational causes on behavior)
4. the labels or personality terms may be inconsistent; inconsistency tends to decline from early to late adolescence as a more integrated self view is achieved

a. a false self may be shown in romantic or dating situations, or some parental interactions

5. adolescents consider a "real" self and an "ideal" self

1. according to Carl Rogers discrepancies in these selves can indicate maladjustment

1. increasingly, self-perceptions protect the self, e.g., there is the tendency to deny negative traits and accentuate positive ones

7. increasingly, adolescents recognize that some parts of their behavior and personality may be beyond "conscious" control

1. James Marcia (1996) notes that self understanding involves three periods: deconstruction (the contradictory phase); reconstruction (putting together the like pieces); and consolidation (integrating the like pieces and the unalike pieces)

 

2. Self-esteem and self-concept

1. Both terms refer to evaluations of the self. -Esteem is a global evaluation ("good person" and –Concept refers to evaluations made for specific areas (e.g., athletics, appearance, academics, etc).

1. overall self-esteem is most closely associated with –concept for physical attractiveness in adolescence

b. low self-esteem shows relationships to both internalizing and externalizing disorders, and eating disorders

1. Both parent and peer factors influence adolescent self-esteem, and peer factors become the more important influence in late adolescence

1. important--parent affection and authoritative style
2. important—positive evaluations by classmates

2.