In modern terms, we refer to the known aspect of the self as the self-concept, which is the content of the self (our knowledge about who we are), and to the knower aspect as self-awareness, which is the act of thinking about ourselves. | Self-perception & self-presentation Chapter 3 The nature of the self Who are you? How did you come to be this person you call “myself”? The founder of American psychology, William James (1842–1910), described the basic duality of our perception of self. The nature of the self The self is composed of our thoughts and beliefs about ourselves, or what James (1890) called the “known,” or, more simply, the “me.” The self is also the active processor of information, the “knower,” or “I.” In modern terms, we refer to the known aspect of the self as the self-concept, which is the content of the self (our knowledge about who we are), and to the knower aspect as self-awareness, which is the act of thinking about ourselves. These two aspects of the self combine to create a coherent sense of identity: Your self is both a book (full of fascinating content collected over time) and the reader of that book (who at any moment can access a specific chapter or add a new one). Self-concept An individual’s overall beliefs about his or her own attributes. If someone asks you what are you like, what would you say? Smart, friendly, artistic, athletic? The self-concept is made up of distinct beliefs that we hold about ourselves and that influence what we notice about the world and how we process information. Thinking about your thoughts Introspection: The examination or observation of one's own mental (insights) and emotional (feelings) processes. Hazards of introspection: Despite common sense belief that thinking about why we like something can help us understand our attitudes, introspection is actually not very effective way of gaining insight into our true attitudes. “Gut-feelings” Overestimation of the impact of events: We believe various factors will influence our mood much more than they actually do. Affective forecasting: the process of predicting the impact of both positive and negative events on mood. Examples: Expectations of breaking up and our future happiness. Perception of . | Self-perception & self-presentation Chapter 3 The nature of the self Who are you? How did you come to be this person you call “myself”? The founder of American psychology, William James (1842–1910), described the basic duality of our perception of self. The nature of the self The self is composed of our thoughts and beliefs about ourselves, or what James (1890) called the “known,” or, more simply, the “me.” The self is also the active processor of information, the “knower,” or “I.” In modern terms, we refer to the known aspect of the self as the self-concept, which is the content of the self (our knowledge about who we are), and to the knower aspect as self-awareness, which is the act of thinking about ourselves. These two aspects of the self combine to create a coherent sense of identity: Your self is both a book (full of fascinating content collected over time) and the reader of that book (who at any moment can access a specific chapter or add a new one). Self-concept An .
