personal growth chapter_2 with audio

Looking Out, Looking In12th EditionChapter 2 1

Communication and Identity:Creating and Presenting the Self

Chapter Summary

•Communication and the Self-Concept•Biological and Social Roots of the self

•Characteristics of the Self-Concept

•Influences on Identity

•Presenting the Self•Public and Private

•Characteristics of Identity Management


Communication and theSelf-Concept

The Self-Concept•A relatively stable set of perceptions you hold about yourself

•Not only your physical self but your emotional states, talents, likes, dislikes, values roles, etc.

•Self-esteem•Part of your self-concept•Involves evaluation of self worth



The Self-ConceptPeople who feel good about themselves will have positive expectations about how they communicate

FIGURE 2.1The Relationship between Self-Esteem and Communication BehaviorPage 43



Biology and the Self•Personality

•Tends to be stable throughout your life

•To a large degree is part of our genetic makeup

•Biology accounts for extroversion, shyness, assertiveness, verbal aggression, and willingness to communicate

•Table 2.1 on page 44 shows five major personality traits



Socialization and Self-Concept•Reflected Appraisal

•Each of us develop a self-concept that reflects the way we believe others see us

•Children are not born with a sense of identity

•Positive and negative evaluations become the mirror by which we know ourselves

•Anyone whose opinion you value can leave an imprint



Socialization and Self-Concept•Social Comparison

•Evaluating our selves in terms of how we compare to others

•When comparing we decide if we’re Superior or Inferior

•“Attractive or Ugly,” “Success or Failure,” “Intelligent or Stupid”•These comparisons positively or negatively effect our self-

concept •Social Comparison can be dangerous •Reference groups play an important role



Characteristics of Self-Concept•The self-concept can be subjective

•A distorted self-evaluation occurs for several reasons•Obsolete Information•Distorted Feedback•Emphasis on Perfection•Social Expectations

•Self-esteem may be based on inaccurate thinking



Characteristics of Self-Concept•Cognitive Conservatism

•The tendency to seek and attend information that conforms with an existing self-concept

•The self-concept is resistant to change•Inaccurate self-concepts can lead to self-delusion and lack of growth•Inaccuracies are hard to maintain and lead to defensiveness•Communicators are reluctant to downgrade a favorable image



Culture, Gender, and Identity•Culture

•Individualist vs. Collectivist

•Self-concept is influenced by culture

•Different culturally influenced self-concepts can clash

•In collective societies there tends to be a higher degree of communication



Culture, Gender, and Identity•Sex and gender

•Being male or female shapes the way people communicate with you

•Pronouns with gender•Boys focus on size, strength, and activity•Girls focus on beauty and sweetness•What happens when they switch?

•Self-esteem is influence by gender



The Self-fulfilling Prophecy The self-fulfilling prophecy occurs when a person’s expectation of an event, and their subsequent behavior based on those expectations, make the event more likely to occur

•The Four Stages•Holding an expectation

•Behaving in accordance with that expectation

•The expectation coming to pass

•Reinforcing the original expectation



Self-fulfilling Prophecies •Self-imposed prophecies

•Your own expectations influence your behavior•Thinking that you will fail

•“I’m going to screw this up” or “It’s not going to work”

•Prophecies imposed by others•Others expectations influence your behavior•All opinions you value can cause this prophecy •Pygmalion in the Classroom


Communication and the Self-Concept

Changing your Self-concept •Have a realistic perception of yourself

•Have realistic expectations

•Have the will to change

•Have the skill to change


Communication as Identity Management

Public and Private Selves•Identity Management

•Each of us have a multitude of identities

•Perceived Self•A reflection of the self-concept

•Presenting Self•The way we want others to view us



Identity Management•We strive to create multiple identities

•“Helping friend,” “joking office mate,” “loving child”

•Identity Management•can be deliberate or unconscious•is collaborative •varies by situation

•People differ in their degree of identity management



Why We Manage Identities •To start and manage relationships

•You may appear charming or confidant even if you’re not

•To gain compliance of others•How you dress when you go to work or to traffic court

•To save others face•You mask your discomfort to save another’s feelings



How Do We Manage Identities •Face-to-face impression management

•Manner consists of words and non-verbal action

•A doctor will change their impression management depending on which part of the examination he or she is conducting

•Appearance shapes impression•Clothing, Tattoos, Jewelry, etc.

•Setting also influences how others may view us



•Computer-Mediated Communication•Slight limitations over other communication channels

•More control over managing your identity

•CMC also gives individuals the ability to broadcast their identity in a way traditional communication can’t

•MySpace, FaceBook, and Friendster



Identity Management and Honesty •Some manage identity dishonestly

•Misrepresenting yourself to a date•Job applicants who lie about academic records•Salespeople who pretend to be dedicated to customer service

• Managing identity does not make you a liar•Although it might seem manipulative it is authentic communication•Can you imagine not managing your identities?


Communication and Identity:Creating and Presenting the Self

Chapter Summary

•Communication and the Self-Concept•Biological and Social Roots of the self

•Characteristics of the Self-Concept

•Influences on Identity

•Presenting the Self•Public and Private

•Characteristics of Identity Management

personal growth chapter_2 with audio

Documents

selfconcept culture

selfconcept people

selfconcept biology

selfconcept socialization

collectivist selfconcept

existing selfconcept

selfconcept social comparison

communication behavior