Self-Consciousness

Defining Self and Self-Concept

Broadly defined, the self is an array of self-relevant knowledge acquired through thinking, feeling, and motivation. A unique quality of the self is the reflexive capacity for one to be the object of his or her own attention, likened to looking at oneself in a mirror. The self includes a physical body and a social identity and is the active agent in decision making. In the early history of psychology (the late 19th and early 20th centuries), research focused solely on the individual aspects of the self. In the 1920s, the self was primarily studied from a sociological perspective. This shift indicates that the self derives from the interaction with one's culture and society.

One's self can be categorized as material (tangible objects, people, places designated as my or mine); social (social roles and the way we are recognized and regarded by others); and spiritual (inner psychological self, includes perceived traits, abilities, emotions, and beliefs). Contemporary researchers expanded the concept to include a collective self (social categories in [Page 1871]which we belong, including racial, religious, and ethnic identities) and a relational self (family, friends, and coworkers).

A person's self-concept derives from how he or she integrates these categories. One's self-concept performs several functions. As an interpersonal tool, selfconcept informs one's identity—a prerequisite for social life and human interaction. A person must be able to understand “you” and “I” to sustain relationships over time. Second, one's self-concept is a collection of values and preferences that influence decision making. Choice is integral to self-definition. Because individuals are diverse and complex, the way to keep order when values and preference conflict is through self-regulation—a third function. Finally, one's selfconcept serves as a reference point. The storing and organizing of information that relates to and has an impact on one's personal life is processed and remembered more thoroughly through self-reference.

Thus, a person's self-concept guides and directs action and future-oriented goals. It serves as a fundamental tool of mental and social development. Questions of “Who am I?” “Where do I belong?” and “How do I fit in?” are social in nature. Others' views of us are vital to how we conceive of ourselves.

The social construction of one's self depends on one's immediate environment and on larger sociocultural and historical factors. Our selves are created within social contexts that take into account the values, norms, and mores of others in that same environment. Self-concept is the result of what Mead calls social commerce—that which propels the type of social action that sustains societies and ourselves. Therefore, the context of the social environment is central to self-understanding.

...