CHAPTER 3Communication and Self-Concept, Continued…

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Section 1 COMMUNICATION AND THE SELF-CONCEPT

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Communication and the Self-Concept

Self-concept, defined: A relatively stable set

of perceptions you hold of yourself.

Imagine a special mirror that reflect physical features and allow you to view other aspects of yourself.

Reflection is your self-concept.

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Communication and Self-Esteem

Self-esteem, defined: Part of the self-concept

that involves evaluations of self-worth.

How does high or low self-esteem affect communication behavior?

What do the authors mean by: “Although self-esteem has obvious benefits, it doesn’t guarantee interpersonal success”?

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How the Self-Concept Develops

Reflected appraisal, defined: A mirroring of the judgments

of those around you. “Significant others” are

people whose evaluations are especially influential.

How is the self-concept formed through reflected appraisal?

What are some potential pitfalls of reflected appraisal?

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Social Comparison

Social comparison, defined: Evaluating ourselves in

terms of how we compare with others.

Reference groups People we use to evaluate

our own characteristics. How can social

comparison give a person an overly positive or overly negative self-concept?

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Section 2CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SELF-CONCEPT

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The Self-Concept is Subjective

We inflate and/or underestimate our self-perception.

How may an individual’s self-perception be influenced by: obsolete

information? distorted feedback? the myth of

perfection? social expectations?

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A Healthy Self-Concept is Flexible

Why must our self-concept

change in order to stay realistic?

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The Self-Concept Resists Change

Why do we resist revision of our self-perception?

Cognitive conservatism, defined: Seeking information

that conforms to an existing self-concept.

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Changing Our Self-Concept

Four requirements: Trusting an appraisal by

someone we see as competent to offer it.

Appraisal must be perceived as highly personal.

Appraisal must be reasonable in light of what we believe about ourselves.

Appraisal must be consistent and numerous.

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Section 3THE SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY AND COMMUNICATION

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The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy and Communication

Self-fulfilling prophecy, defined: When a person expectations of an event, and her or

high subsequent behavior based on those expectations, make the outcome more likely to occur than would otherwise have true.

Four stages: Holding an expectation (for yourself or for

others) Behaving in accordance with that expectation The expectation coming to pass Reinforcing the original expectation

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Types of Self-Fulfilling Prophecies

Type #1: Self-imposed Your own expectations influence

your behavior. Research:

“Communicators who believed they were incompetent proved less likely than others to pursue rewarding relationships and more likely to sabotage their existing relationships.”

Type #2: When a person’s expectations govern another’s actions, whether positive or negative. “Pygmalion effect” = positive “Golem” effect = negative Observer must communicate

their belief for the prediction to have an effect.

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Changing Your Self-Concept

Have realistic expectations.

Have a realistic perception of yourself.

Have the will to change.

Have the skill to change.

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Section 4PRESENTING THE SELF: COMMUNICATION AS IDENTITY MANAGEMENT

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Identity Management

Identity management, defined: The communication

strategies people use to influence how others view them.

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Public and Private Selves

Perceived self, defined: The person you

believe yourself to be in moments of honest self-reflection

Unlikely to reveal this self to another person.

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Public and Private Selves

Presenting self, defined: An image (socially

approved) we want to present to others

“Facework” (Sociologist Erving Goffman) The nonverbal ways we

act to maintain our own presenting images and the image of others

How does Goffman’s concept of “face” relate to the presenting self?

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Characteristics of Identity Management

We strive to construct multiple identities

What are some different contexts or situations in which you may construct different identities?

Explain whether or not a person can present different identities simultaneously.

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Characteristics of Identity Management

Identity management is collaborative “Process theater” in

which we improvise scenes where our character reacts with others.

What happens when someone rejects or does not collaborate with our identity management attempts?

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Characteristics of Identity Management

Identity management can be deliberate or unconscious What situations would

require deliberate identity management?

We unconsciously act in small public performances, making a particular facial expression or using a particular tone of voice.

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Characteristics of Identity Management

People differ in their degrees of identity management

What are advantages to being a high self-monitor? Drawbacks?

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Section 5WHY MANAGE IMPRESSIONS?

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Why Manage Impressions?

Social rules

Personal goals

Relational goals

It is impossible not to create impressions.

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How Do We Manage Impressions?

Face-to-face impression management Manner

Words Nonverbal actions

Appearance Personal items people use to

shape an image Clothing Hairstyle Personal affects

Setting Physical items people use to

influence how others view them “Artifacts” decorate the

space we live in Automobiles Artwork

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Identity Management in Mediated Environments

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) “One of the interesting

things about the Internet is the opportunity it offers people to present themselves in a variety of different ways.”

In mediated identity management, how do the factors of manner, appearance, and setting change?

How do these changes make it easier or more difficult to manage identity?

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Identity Management and Honesty

People sometimes misrepresent themselves to gain the trust of others.

What are examples of ethical or honest identity management?

Not only one honest way to behave in every circumstance.

Impression management involves deciding which face—which part of yourself—to reveal.

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END OF SECTIONCHAPTER CONTINUES IN PART TWO

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Interplay, Eleventh Edition, Adler/Rosenfeld/ProctorCopyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.