Online Class.

Psychological Self

Introduction
The concept of the self in psychology refers to how individuals think, evaluate, and
perceive themselves. It is composed of different aspects, including the existential self
and categorical self. Carl Rogers identified three components of the self-concept: self-
image, self-esteem, and ideal self. Factors that influence self-esteem include the
reaction of others and social roles. Understanding congruence and incongruence can
help individuals gain insight into their ideal self and actual experience.

I. Introduction

 Self-concept refers to how someone thinks about, evaluates, or perceives

themselves.
 Understanding the self is important in psychology because it can impact a
person's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

II. Two aspects of self-concept

 The existential self refers to the most basic part of the self-scheme or self-
concept; the sense of being separate and distinct from others and the awareness
of the constancy of the self. It's the realization that one exists as a separate entity
from others and continues to exist over time and space.
 The categorical self is the part of self-concept where individuals become aware
that they are objects in the world. This includes the categories that the individual
applies to themselves such as age, gender, size, or skill.

III. Three components of self-concept by Carl Rogers

 Self-image refers to the view a person has of themselves. This can be influenced
by factors such as parental influences, friends, or the media, and may not
necessarily reflect reality.
 Self-esteem, also known as self-worth, refers to the extent to which a person
likes, accepts, or approves of themselves. High self-esteem can lead to
confidence in one's abilities, self-acceptance, and optimism, while low self-
esteem can lead to a lack of confidence, wanting to be someone else, and
pessimism.
  Ideal self is what a person wishes they were really like. If there is a mismatch
between how a person sees themselves and what they would like to be, it can
impact how much they value themselves.

IV. Factors that influence the development of self-esteem

 Reaction of others: How people react to an individual can affect their self-esteem.
Positive reactions, such as admiration or flattery, can lead to a positive self-
image and high self-esteem, while negative reactions, such as criticism or
neglect, can lead to a negative self-image and low self-esteem.
 Comparison with others: Comparing oneself to others can also impact self-
esteem. If the people being compared to are perceived as more successful,
happier, richer, or better-looking than oneself, it can lead to negative self-esteem.
 Social roles: Some social roles carry prestige, such as doctor or airline pilot,
which can promote self-esteem, while others carry a stigma, such as prisoner or
unemployed person, which can lead to lower self-esteem.
 Identification: People can identify with the positions they occupy, the roles they
play, and the groups they belong to, which can affect self-esteem.

V. Congruence and incongruence

 Congruence refers to when a person's ideal self and actual experience are
consistent or very similar. This state of congruence is dependent on
unconditional positive regard and is necessary for a person to achieve self-
actualization.
 Incongruence occurs when there is a difference between a person's ideal self
and their actual experience. Everyone experiences some amount of
incongruence.

VI. Conclusion

Understanding the concepts of the self in psychology can help individuals gain a better
understanding of themselves and promote self-awareness and personal growth.