Looking Out/Looking InLooking Out/Looking InThirteenth EditionThirteenth Edition

22Communication, Identity, Communication, Identity, and the Selfand the Self

22COMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELFCOMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELF

Communication and the SelfCommunication and the Self

• Self-Concept and Self-Esteem

• What is the difference between the two?

33COMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELFCOMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELF

Communication and the SelfCommunication and the Self

• Self-Concept and Self-Esteem• People with high self-esteem

• Likely to think well of others• Expect to be accepted by others• Evaluate their own performance more favorably• Perform well when being watched• Inclined to feel comfortable with views of others• Able to defend themselves against negative

comments

44COMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELFCOMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELF

Communication and the SelfCommunication and the Self

• Self-Concept and Self-Esteem• People with low self-esteem

• Likely to disapprove of others• Expect to be rejected by others• Evaluate their own performance less favorably• Perform poorly when being watched• Feel threatened by people they view as superior• Have difficulty defending themselves against

others’ negative comments

55COMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELFCOMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELF

• Come up with a time when your self esteem impacted your communication.(positively or negatively – both if you can!)

66COMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELFCOMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELF

Communication and the SelfCommunication and the Self

• Self-Concept and Self-Esteem• Self-esteem and communication behavior

Figure 2.1 Page 43

77COMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELFCOMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELF

Communication and the SelfCommunication and the Self

• Biology and the Self-Concept• Personality is part of our genetic makeup• Biology influenced traits

• Extroversion• Shyness• Assertiveness• Verbal Aggression• Willingness to communicate

88COMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELFCOMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELF

Communication and the SelfCommunication and the Self

• Socialization and the Self-Concept• Reflected Appraisal

• Each of us develops a self-concept that reflects the way we believe others see us

• Social Comparison• Social Comparison and The Media

99COMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELFCOMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELF

Communication and the SelfCommunication and the Self

• Characteristics of the Self-Concept• Distorted self-evaluations can happen and

may be based on: • Obsolete information• Distorted feedback• Emphasis on perfection

1010COMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELFCOMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELF

Communication and the SelfCommunication and the Self

• The Self-Concept Resists Change• Cognitive Conservatism

• We seek out people who support our self-concept• Are you funny? Or, do you surround yourself with people

who tell you that you’re funny?

• Most communicators are reluctant to downgrade a favorable impression of themselves

1111COMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELFCOMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELF

Communication and the SelfCommunication and the Self

• Culture, Gender, and Identity

• How does gender and culture impact our identity?

1212COMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELFCOMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELF

Communication and the SelfCommunication and the Self

• The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy• Types of Self-Fulfilling Prophecies

• Self-imposed prophecies• When your own expectations influence your behavior

• Prophecies imposed by others• Expectations and behaviors of one, govern another’s

actions

1313COMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELFCOMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELF

Communication and the SelfCommunication and the Self

• Changing Your Self-Concept• Have a realistic perception of yourself• Have realistic expectations• Have the will to change• Have the skill to change

• Seek Advice• Observe Models

1414COMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELFCOMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELF

Communication as Identity Communication as Identity ManagementManagement

• Public and Private Selves• Perceived Self (Private)

• A reflection of the self concept

• Presenting Self (Public)• The way we want others to

view us

1515COMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELFCOMMUNICATION AND IDENTITY: CREATING AND PRESENTING THE SELF

Communication as Identity Communication as Identity ManagementManagement

• When do we manage identities?• Why do we manage identities• How do we manage identities?