PSYC 215 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Breast Cancer, Ego Depletion, Irish Canadian

• School: McGill University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 215
• Professor: John Lydon

Document Summary

Our self-esteem is often based on comparisons we make between ourselves and others. William james (1890):the principles of psychology introduces self related concepts and distinctions. 3 primary components of the self: the individual self, the relational self and the collective self. Individual self: beliefs about our unique personal traits, abilities and preferences, tastes, talents, and so forth. Relational self: beliefs about our identities in specific relationships (ex doting husband) Collective self: beliefs about our identities as members of social groups to which we belong (ex irish- Americans defined themselves in terms of personal attributes whereas japanese were 3 times more likely to identify themselves in terms of relationship/group (relational/collective terms). Your sense of self comes from numerous social origins of self knowledge as well as from construal processes. Parents instructions and expectations can shape the self. Symbolic interactionist notion: we come to know ourselves through imagining what others think of us.