Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 20, 2026

A Modified Mirror Test as a Visual Guide for the Self-awareness Trait in Wild Antarctica Penguins, Pygoscelis adeliae
04:51

A Modified Mirror Test as a Visual Guide for the Self-awareness Trait in Wild Antarctica Penguins, Pygoscelis adeliae

Published on: July 8, 2025

The symbolic self in evolutionary context

C Sedekides1, J J Skowronski

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-3270, USA. dionysus@unc.edu

Personality and Social Psychology Review : an Official Journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc
|January 1, 1997
PubMed

More Related Videos

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation06:53

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation

Published on: March 1, 2017

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face08:15

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face

Published on: January 7, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Understanding the Self01:28

Understanding the Self

The self is a central aspect of human identity, encompassing an individual’s beliefs, emotions, perceptions, and experiences. It is a cognitive and psychological construct that enables individuals to interpret their traits and behaviors, influencing how they perceive themselves and interact with the world. While personality consists of stable and enduring characteristics, the self is shaped by self-perception and social experiences. This distinction highlights the dynamic nature of the self,...
The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison02:57

The Sense of Self: Reflected Self-Appraisal and Social Comparison

According to Charles Cooley, we base our image on what we think other people see (Cooley 1902). We imagine how we must appear to others, then react to this speculation. We don certain clothes, prepare our hair in a particular manner, wear makeup, use cologne, and the like—all with the notion that our presentation of ourselves is going to affect how others perceive us. We expect a certain reaction, and, if lucky, we get the one we desire and feel good about it. But more than that, Cooley...
Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective01:23

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective

In a study where individuals posing as strangers offered compliments and proposed casual sex to students, the responses differed significantly based on gender. Not a single woman accepted the proposal, while 70% of the men agreed. This outcome provides a useful scenario to explore through the lens of evolutionary psychology and social learning theory, highlighting the diverse perspectives on human sexual behaviors.
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
Understanding Self-Concept01:20

Understanding Self-Concept

The self-concept encompasses individuals' beliefs about themselves, structured through cognitive frameworks known as self-schemas. These schemas function as mental representations of specific traits or behaviors, influencing how self-relevant information is perceived, processed, and remembered. For example, individuals who are schematic for body weight are more likely to interpret routine experiences—such as dining out or shopping—through the lens of that trait. Conversely, those aschematic for...
Self Within Cultural Contexts01:30

Self Within Cultural Contexts

Cultural frameworks for understanding the self are often categorized into two broad orientations: individualism and collectivism. These paradigms influence how people define themselves, relate to others, and interpret their social worlds. Each orientation offers distinct perspectives on autonomy, responsibility, and the role of the individual within a community.Individualistic CulturesIn individualistic cultures like North America and Western Europe, identity is understood as autonomous and...
Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the human psyche...