Self Concept= “Who am I?”

1.   a set of labels you apply to yourself1.   a set of labels you apply to yourself 2.   labels that are relatively stable2.   labels that are relatively stable 3.  labels that are subjective 3.  labels that are subjective

(perception)(perception)

Theories of self concept

1. Reflected Appraisal Theory1. Reflected Appraisal TheoryWhat What you thinkyou think others think of you others think of you

   2.  Social Comparison Theory2.  Social Comparison Theory

Based on comparisons with othersBased on comparisons with others   3.  Individual Selectivity Theory3.  Individual Selectivity Theory

You choose opinions and comparisons you You choose opinions and comparisons you believe valuable believe valuable

Perception-the process of assigning meaning to sensory data

1.We select cues to interpret. 2.We organize cues we’ve selected. 3.We interpret cues we’ve selected and organized. 

Interpretation is based on:

-our knowledge-our knowledge

-our past experiences-our past experiences

-our expectations-our expectations

-our assumptions about human behavior-our assumptions about human behavior

-our personal moods-our personal moods  

Self fulfilling prophecy-beginning with a preconceived

idea of the world and looking for data to support that idea

Language

Language is a symbol systemLanguage is a symbol system

A word is not an object. It is simply a A word is not an object. It is simply a representationrepresentation of an object. of an object.

DenotationDenotation

• -the dictionary definition of a word-the dictionary definition of a word

How many do you know?

1. triskaidekaphobia1. triskaidekaphobia 2. spondulicks2. spondulicks 3. octothorpe3. octothorpe 4. copacetic4. copacetic 5. sennight5. sennight 6. halcyon6. halcyon 7. lollapaloosa7. lollapaloosa

1. triskaidekaphobia1. triskaidekaphobia fear of the number 13fear of the number 13

2. spondulicks2. spondulicks money, cashmoney, cash

3. octothorpe3. octothorpe The pound or # sign on the telephoneThe pound or # sign on the telephone

4. copacetic4. copacetic fine, excellent, going just rightfine, excellent, going just right

5. sennight5. sennight one weekone week

6. halcyon6. halcyon Calm or peaceful; happy or carefreeCalm or peaceful; happy or carefree

7. lollapaloosa7. lollapaloosa Something outstandingly good of its kindSomething outstandingly good of its kind

(a lollapaloosa of a game)(a lollapaloosa of a game)

And yet another interesting word:And yet another interesting word:

floccinaucinihilipilificationfloccinaucinihilipilification

the action or habit of judging the action or habit of judging something to be worthlesssomething to be worthless

And the longest word in the dictionary…

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis A lung disease caused by the inhalation A lung disease caused by the inhalation

of silica dustof silica dust

ConnotationConnotation -the personal meaning of a word based on -the personal meaning of a word based on

our experience of the word.our experience of the word.

  dogdog

homehome

BypassingBypassing -a communication breakdown caused -a communication breakdown caused

when a word means more than one thing when a word means more than one thing or two words mean the same thing.or two words mean the same thing.

entrée/on trayentrée/on trayred/readred/readslang-dog/fox/cat/cool/hotslang-dog/fox/cat/cool/hot

Language is governed by rules.Language is governed by rules.

SyntaxSyntax-the rules governing a language’s -the rules governing a language’s

grammar systemgrammar system

(Ie. In English, an adjective usually (Ie. In English, an adjective usually comes before a noun.)comes before a noun.)

  

SemanticsSemantics-the study of the denotative meaning of -the study of the denotative meaning of

a language (Each word has shades of a language (Each word has shades of meaning.) meaning.)

female/woman/ladyfemale/woman/ladyhouse/home/hovel/dump/house/home/hovel/dump/Politicians and lawyers sometimes play Politicians and lawyers sometimes play

semantic games. Sometimes we refer semantic games. Sometimes we refer to these kinds of games as “splitting to these kinds of games as “splitting hairs.”hairs.”

Regulative RulesRegulative Rules-how language is used in particular -how language is used in particular

situationssituationsRegulative rules are usually unspoken. Regulative rules are usually unspoken.

  

–(Ie. We speak more formally to (Ie. We speak more formally to superiors such as our bosses. We superiors such as our bosses. We speak differently at home than at speak differently at home than at school.)school.)