Psychological Theory

The Real Self & Ideal Self

Self-Concept

the way you think about yourself and your

abilities or appearance
one's conception of oneself or of one's
role
Ideal Self
 This is the kind of person whom we
would like to be
 It is dynamic and forever changing
 It is an idealized version of yourself
created out of what you have learned
from your life experiences, the demands
of society, and what you admire in your
role models.
Real Self
 It is the self that feels most true to what
and who we really are
 It refers to how we think, feel, and look
 The underlying organismic self: What a
person is capable of becoming if they lived
in an ideal world. An individual would
have lived in an environment of
unconditional positive regard.
 Congruence

Self-Concept
Real Self

Ideal Self
 Congruence
 Ideal Self is closer to real self
Incongruence

Real Self Self-Concept

Ideal Self
 Incongruence
 Feelings not aligned with our actions