Self What Is the Self? Term Paper

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Total Length: 1985 words ( 7 double-spaced pages)

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711).

It therefore follows that if a young woman has a poor sense of self-esteem as a result of prescribed ideals about body image, then this will also affect self-representation and even behavior patterns; for example, the woman may react negatively in an attempt to meet social norms about self-image and become Anorexic.

However, the literature also makes a clear distinction between personal self-image and esteem and group esteem and expectations. One would expect that groups that are discriminated against in society would have low level of self-esteem. This is not always the case. In fact as a study by Verkuyten ( 1989) shows, high levels of personal self-esteem may result in groups that have a low social level of esteem and acceptance. "The presumption of lower self-esteem among minority youth, given their confrontation with discrimination, disregards the perspectives of minorities themselves" (Verkuyten, 1998, p. 479). This refers to "The question of how minorities experience and interpret their own situations " (Verkuyten, 1998, p. 479). Because of their isolation and defiance of convention, minority groups may in fact have very high level of self-esteem and this would in turn affect their behavior patterns, making them more rebellious and outgoing; "… success achieved despite the barriers of discrimination may bolster self-esteem (Verkuyten, 1998, p. 480).

3.

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Conclusion

The subject and concept of self is a complex and often difficult issue to define and discuss. The understanding of the self is not amenable to easy or simple linear explanation. What the above discussion suggests is that the concept of self is a composite of both private and public self-perceptions. The individual self is often seen as an ambiguous array of view and perceptions about one's self and identity. The importance of social and cultural factors in the shaping and development of the personal self cannot be underestimated. There are numerous studies that show that social influences shape and often determine the self.

At the same time, the relationship between emotion and self-esteem also plays a major role in the shaping of the self and in the important aspect of the way that the individual presents him or her self. In the final analysis, the word 'dynamic' comes to mind when trying to summarize the nature of the self. The self is a continually changing and mutating entity. While it has its roots in the individual's psyche, it is also influenced by the social environment as well as by social factors such as the media and community......

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