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Related Concept Videos

Self-Schemas02:16

Self-Schemas

In general, a schema is a mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related concepts (Bartlett, 1932). There are many different types of schemata, and they all have one thing in common: schemata are a method of organizing information that allows the brain to work more efficiently. When a schema is activated, the brain makes immediate assumptions about the person or object being observed.
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...
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,...
Social Identity01:29

Social Identity

Social identity constitutes a significant aspect of an individual’s self-concept, shaped by membership in various social groups, including gender, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and political affiliation. Individuals associate specific traits with particular social groups, leading to internalization of these traits. For example, musicians are often perceived as creative, while women are frequently associated with nurturing tendencies. Once individuals identify with a particular...
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification03:00

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification

Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
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...

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Related Experiment Video

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Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation
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Published on: March 1, 2017

Faces and ascriptions: mapping measures of the self.

Dan Zahavi1, Andreas Roepstorff

  • 1Center for Subjectivity Research, Department of Media, Cognition and Communication, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. dza@hum.ku.dk

Consciousness and Cognition
|November 16, 2010
PubMed
Summary

The study examines how experimental approaches simplify the concept of self in cognitive science. This simplification impedes interdisciplinary understanding of the self and its neural correlates.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Philosophy of Mind
  • Psychology

Background:

  • The concept of 'self' is increasingly utilized as a variable in cognitive experiments.
  • This trend correlates self-related activity with specific brain regions, seemingly objectifying the self.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically evaluate the impact of experimental paradigms on the conceptualization of the self.
  • To analyze how instrumentalization in research simplifies the self-concept.
  • To explore the consequences for interdisciplinary self-research.

Main Methods:

  • Tracing the historical development of two key experimental paradigms: self-face recognition and adjective self-ascription tasks.
  • Analyzing the conceptual shifts accompanying the experimental use of the self.

Main Results:

  • Experimental instrumentalization has led to a significant simplification of the self-concept.
  • Deeper conceptual and theoretical reflections on the self have been marginalized in experimental research.

Conclusions:

  • The current experimental approach to studying the self risks oversimplification.
  • This simplification complicates and hinders comprehensive interdisciplinary research on the nature of self.