1. RelationshipsRelationships
andand
Body ImageBody Image
Identity and self

2. Consider these two points of view –Consider these two points of view –
which approach do you find yourself inwhich approach do you find yourself in
most agreement with?most agreement with?
 “I am who I am because of the time and place I was
born and the culture I was raised in. My family gave me
a set of values and so has my town, my religion, my
community and my country. Add these all up and
that’s who I am”
 “I have got an identity – at least my friends seem to
think so, but I’m not really sure who I am. I know that
I’m more like some people than others, but this
changes as I try out new identities. I don’t really want
to take on an identity if it means I can’t be different
when I want to be”

3. First ApproachFirst Approach
“I am who I am because of the time and place I
was born and the culture I was raised in. My
family gave me a set of values and so has my
town, my religion, my community and my
country. Add these all up and that’s who I am”
This view sees identity as a product of culture –
we are fashioned by social and cultural forces
together with a sort of genetic blueprint which
moulds us into the individuals we are.

4. Second ApproachSecond Approach
 “I have got an identity – at least my friends seem to
think so, but I’m not really sure who I am. I know that
I’m more like some people than others, but this
changes as I try out new identities. I don’t really want
to take on an identity if it means I can’t be different
when I want to be”
 This view has a different take on the relationship
between culture and the individual. Here, culture
provides a set of resources which we are free to use in
the construction of our own identity. Rather than
being fixed into place by powerful forces, identity is
more like a butterfly.

5. The DebateThe Debate
Neither is right or wrong
They represent two sides of a debate
over the nature of identity

6. Components of IdentityComponents of Identity
Career
Political views
Religious beliefs
Relationships
Ethnic identity
Personality
Body image

7. SELFSELF
All the Characteristics of the Person
Self-concept: everything the person believes to be
true about him/herself
Includes traits, preferences, social roles, values,
beliefs, interests, self-categorization
Self-understanding develops throughout the
lifespan

8. Self-Awareness in InfancySelf-Awareness in Infancy
Dot-of-rouge experiment
Recognize selves in mirror at 15-18
months
15-23 months
◦ Personal pronoun use
◦ Picture recognition
◦ Self-referencing, ownership, self-monitoring

9. Self in Early ChildhoodSelf in Early Childhood
Confusion of self, mind, and body
Concrete descriptions
Physical descriptions
Activities – what they do
Overestimation of abilities

10. Self – Middle & Late ChildhoodSelf – Middle & Late Childhood
Shift to internal traits and abilities
Social role descriptions
Real and ideal selves
More realistic about abilities

11. Perspective TakingPerspective Taking
Opposite of egocentrism – the ability to
assume another’s perspective
Children who are good at this are
popular
Development progresses through stages
(Selman)

12. Self in AdolescenceSelf in Adolescence
Abstract-idealistic
Self-conscious/ preoccupied
Contradictions within self
Fluctuating picture across time/situations
Possible selves
Self-integrations as they get older

13. Self in AdulthoodSelf in Adulthood
Self-awareness (emotional intelligence)
◦ Accept own good and bad qualities
Possible selves become more realistic
Life review – evaluation of successes &
failures; more likely as you get older

14. Self-ConceptSelf-Concept
This is the idea we have of ourselves as
individuals
Consists of 3 elements
- SELF IMAGE
- IDEAL SELF
- SELF-ESTEEM

15. The Ideal SelfThe Ideal Self
An easier concept in theory
that is in in practice
Trying to probe the Ideal Self in any kind of
public context results in gatekeeping: we
filter out information that could cause negative
perceptions
Usually get role models and the ideal self
confused