Personal Reflection of the Self

Personal Reflection of the Self

An individual strives to understand his or her self. Throughout the history of psychology, theorists have developed theories and concepts to aid in this process. The terms developed were self – concept, self – esteem, and self – efficacy. A person must realize who he or she is now as well as what he or she may become in the future. When an individual applies these concepts to his or her life, he or she will have a better understanding of the self.

Definition of the Self

The most important aspect of an individual is his or her self (Myers, 2010). The components of the self are self - schemas and possible selves. Self – schemas are beliefs about the self and organized into categories. Examples of self –schemas are athletic, musical, smart, etc. These schemas help an individual organize and retrieve experiences. Possible selves include the images of what a person sees him or herself becoming. These images may be positive or negative. The self includes self – esteem and self – efficacy. Self – esteem is an important aspect of how an individual views him or herself. The self – esteem one adopts in childhood usually remains stable throughout adulthood (Wood, Wood, & Boyd, 2011). The concept of self – efficacy, developed by Albert Bandura, is also an important aspect of the self. The aspects of the self help an individual answer questions about him or herself. These questions include: “Who am I?” and “What can I become?” Once an individual answers these questions, he or she has a concept of the self.

Personal Application of the Self

 Self - Concept

Self – concept is the answer to the question, “Who am I?” (Myers, 2010). Self – concept includes self – schemas and possible selves. Self – schemas define the roles a person has within life. My self – schemas are those that define me as a wife, mother, educator, student, and friend. Possible selves include the visions one dreams of becoming. My possible selves include psychologist and writer. Possible selves also include what we fear of becoming. I fear becoming a failure. I have a fear of failing in the various aspects of my life. I have a fear of not achieving my goals. In retrospect, some of my behaviors do not correspond with my self – schemas.

Self - Esteem

Self – esteem includes a person’s positive and negative self - evaluations (Author Unknown, 2011). Self – esteem can also describe a person’s self – worth. A person has a general level of self - esteem (Author Unknown, 2011). My general level of self – esteem is average. However, self – esteem is not a one dimensional concept. While a person may see him or herself positively in some areas, in others he or she may feel negatively. This is true of my self – esteem. There are some areas in life in which I view myself positively and others that I view myself negatively. Both aspects of self – esteem helps a person form the way he or she views his or herself.

Self - Efficacy

Self – efficacy is the belief of one’s capabilities to perform a task. A person with high self – efficacy sets high goals, have more confidence, are more persistent, and usually have more success. Alternatively, a person with low self – efficacy avoid challenges, give up on difficult tasks, and expect failure. My self – efficacy level is between high and low. I know my capabilities as a student. However, I do not apply these capabilities as I should. I do not expect failure, but I am also not surprised by failure. I do not set unrealistic goals and will change my goals if I feel a goal is unrealistic.

Two Social Experiences that Affected My Personal Development

Throughout life, we are exposed to experiences that affect our personal development. One experience that has affected my personal development is becoming a mother. My first pregnancy ended in miscarriage sixteen years ago and my first child was born almost fifteen years ago. In this time span, I have dealt with pregnancy loss, birth, parenting multiples, parenting teenagers, and more. These experiences have shaped my character, drive, and have provided valuable insight into who I am. I have also learned about myself through my children. Some possess some of my good qualities; some possess some of my bad qualities. Some possess the same level of drive as I; others possess more or less. Some have the same level of self – esteem as I do; some have higher or lower self – esteem. Since becoming a mother, I have realized I will have successes and failures. I have also learned that my large successes outweigh my small failures. My role as a mother is one role I will not accept failure. Becoming a mother has provided me with a great personal growth.

A second experience that has affected my personal growth was my time as a firefighter and emergency medical technician. I was exposed to different personalities in the form of co – workers, patients, and citizens. In meetings and training sessions our different personalities came together to shape personal learning experiences to aid in our personal development. Patients as well as the families also helped in personal development. The patients and property saved easily helped raise self – esteem. The fatalities and property lost worked against self – esteem. Each fire or rescue call I worked was a personal learning experience. I quickly learned that failures happen in life but these failures did not mean that I, as a person, was a failure.

Conclusion

In order to understand the self, one must learn to apply self –concept, self – esteem, and self –efficacy. These concepts provide the basis for understanding the self. Using these concepts a person can understand not only who he or she is now but who he or she may become. Self – esteem provides an evaluation based on strengths and weaknesses. Self –efficacy provides a realization of what his or her potential to complete tasks is. Together, these two concepts provide an individual with an understanding of self – worth and potential for success.

References

Author Unknown (2011). Psychsmart. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Myers, D. (2010). Social Psychology (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Wood, S. E., Wood, E. G., & Boyd, D. (2011). The World of Psychology (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.

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