Assess Your Strengths

What Is Your Self-Concept?

Chapter 12. What Is Your Self-Concept?

Intro

What Is Your Self-Concept?
true

Play this brief video introduction from one of your authors, Nathan DeWall.

 

Test Yourself

How do you organize your self-concept?

Please complete each statement to describe yourself. Respond as if you’re talking to yourself. You don’t need to pay attention to logic. Simply respond with what comes to mind in how you would describe yourself.

1.

1. I am

2. I am

3. I am

4. I am

5. I am

{true} setModel("q1", qqMC1 )
{true} setModel("q2", qqMC2 )
{true} setModel("q3", qqMC3 )
{true} setModel("q4", qqMC4)
{true} setModel("q5", qqMC5)
{true} setModel("total", qqMC1 + qqMC2 + qqMC3 + qqMC4 + qqMC5)

Harry Triandis, Christopher McCusker, and Harry Hui developed this self-concept quiz.

 

Your Score

There is no actual "score" for this activity, as everyone's answers will be unique. But your answers probably still say a lot about your self-concept--all the thoughts and feelings that come to mind when we answer the question, “Who am I?”

Think about how you responded to this question. Did your responses include information that would separate you from others (“I am intelligent,” “I’m an athlete,” “I’m a blond”)? If so, you may be more of an individualist—influenced by Western cultural ideals. Individualists tend to have many temporary relationships, and their actions often reflect their personality and attitudes.

Or did you offer information that merged your identity with others (“I am a daughter,” “I’m a good brother,” “I’m a member of my college or university”)? If so, you may be more of a collectivist, with greater influences from Eastern cultural ideals. Collectivists, in contrast to individualists, tend to blend their self-concept with others. They often have a few close relationships and their actions tend to reflect their social norms and roles.

 

Build This Strength

build_section

Would you like to broaden your sense of self? Even if we have a positive self-concept, we can benefit from embracing other cultural perspectives. We have learned about the pros and cons of individualism and collectivism. Those leaning toward individualism may enjoy more personal freedom and privacy, yet their focus on the self can strain relationships and prompt more loneliness and stress-related disease. Those who are more comfortable with collectivist ideals may feel more connected to others, but they may be less adept at resolving conflicts and addressing personal needs.

Broadening your self-concept may also help you become a better global citizen. Considering how members of other cultures organize their self-concept can help you develop a greater understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity.

Here are three suggestions to help you expand and enrich your own self-concept:

QUIZ

Are you ready for the Quiz? Demonstrate and reinforce your understanding by answering the following questions.

1. blank tend to describe themselves with traits that emphasize their uniqueness.

2. blank tend to describe themselves in ways that emphasize their group identities.

3. Collectivists tend to have many temporary relationships and are comfortable with confrontation.

4. To adopt more individualist traits into our self-concept, we can try to focus on

5. To adopt more collectivist traits into our self-concept, we can try to focus on

Correct answers
1. c. Individualists
2. a. Collectivists
3. False
4. d. all of the above.
5. c. acting in ways that promote harmony in our relationships.