Deck 5: The Self

Question 1

Based on Fleeson and Wilt's (2010) research, how are big five traits and behaviours in these domains associated with state authenticity? What do the results teach us about authenticity?

Answer 1

Results of experience sampling studies-where trait-relevant behaviours and authenticity were rated together in the moment-showed that people's dispositional traits were not important to state authenticity. Rather, people felt more authentic when they behaved inextraverted, stable, open, agreeable and conscientious ways, regardless of their dispositions.
The results tell us that Dawn the introvert is likely to feel more authentic when she behaves in more extraverted ways. (Recall from chapter 4 that most people engage in a wide range of behaviours, even while traits describe average tendencies well.) Roni the extravert also feels authentic when behaving in extraverted ways-it seems there may be something about extraverted (and open, agreeable, etc.) behaviour that promotes authenticity, regardless of one's trait level.

Question 2

What is self-efficacy and why is it important to understanding well-being? Support your answer with relevant examples.

Answer 2

Self-efficacy is the personal belief that one can successfully enact behaviours that will lead to desirable outcomes. People have many different efficacy beliefs; they are separate for the particular domain or task at hand.
Self-efficacy is key to understanding well-being because it directs people towards active engagement with meaningful pursuits.
High self-efficacy connotes a sense of being able to overcome challenges, but beliefs are also updated based on circumstances.
Across many studies, people's engagement and success is substantially higher when they have a sense of self-efficacy (Bandura, 2011). That is, we tend to avoid activities with low self-efficacy and take up pursuits where self-efficacy is high, where we believe we can enact the important behaviours.
For example, workplaces are contexts where motivated engagement with tasks has important payoffs, and self-efficacy is a good predictor of job performance (Stajkovic & Luthans, 1998). Similarly, academic achievement is strongly predicted by self-efficacy (Schneider & Preckel, 2016). People with low self-efficacy for an activity (e.g. work or school) are unlikely to give as much effort, and then, predictably, less likely to succeed. In this way, a belief about the self ('I think I can do it') spurs desirable action.

Question 3

What is self-esteem? How do self-esteem and self-efficacy differ? Support your answer with relevant examples.

Answer 3

Self-esteem is a positive evaluation of the self; it is having a sense of worth, competence and personal satisfaction in valued domains. It is also subjective-about what one believes, rather than objective reality.
Normally, we think of self-esteem as an overall, general self-evaluation. This contrasts with self-efficacy which is typically more specific, about a particular goal or set of behaviours. Exceptions to this trend do exist; that is, one can assess general self-efficacy or narrower evaluations of esteem in particular domains. However, this is far less common and less consistent with their theoretical origins.
Whereas self-esteem is largely a feeling of positivity about the self, self-efficacy is more a cognitive judgement about ability.
In addition, self-esteem depends on feeling competent in areas that are personally valued; self-efficacy is simply the judgement that the behaviours can be enacted, regardless of importance.
For example, Sean may have high self-efficacy for doing arithmetic and low self-efficacy for making shots in basketball. These are assessments of what he can do. Sean's general self-esteem will be higher or lower depending on how important success in arithmetic or basketball are to his sense of self. If basketball is unimportant, the low basketball self-efficacy and poor performance are irrelevant to Sean's self-esteem. Of course, there are some things that most people do care about, such as having strong interpersonal relationships; these domains are thus commonly important to self-esteem.

Question 4

The ______ was used by William James (1890) to describe the part of the self that is experienced as an object to be known.

A) I
B) me
C) self
D) self-concept

Question 5

Subjective well-being is an aspect of ______ because it includes subjective judgements about one's satisfaction and emotional experience.

A) self-efficacy
B) life satisfaction
C) the self-concept
D) personality

Question 6

The idea that we should get to know and act consistently with our true selves is synonymous with ______.

A) authenticity
B) self-concept
C) the 'good life'
D) freedom
E) All of these

Question 7

According to ______ it is important that people do things that are authentic to the self.

A) self-esteem theory
B) self-determination theory
C) self-concept theory
D) person-environment fit theory
E) None of these

Question 8

People are internally motivated when they do things ______.

A) in a self-determined way
B) because of external pressures
C) because they genuinely enjoy them
D) that goes against their perception of self

Question 9

______ studies are concerned with the true self in the present moment.

A) State authenticity
B) Self-concept
C) Well-being
D) Dispositional authenticity

Question 10

People report feeling authentic when they ______.

A) are high on self-esteem and experiencing unpleasant emotions
B) act in a way that aligns with their traits
C) are extrinsically motivated by positive things
D) feel good, confident, and when meeting important needs

Question 11

Narcissism is similar to high self-esteem because they both share ______. However, narcissism also includes ______.

A) negative evaluations of the self; positive evaluations of the self
B) positive evaluations of the self; a sense of superiority and entitlement
C) positive evaluations of the self; low negative emotions
D) objective evaluations of the self; a sense of superiority and entitlement

Question 12

Research suggests that ______ can boost or detract from people's sense of self-efficacy.

A) emotional states
B) other people
C) past experience
D) All of these
E) None of these

Question 13

In Luszcynska, Tryburcy, and Shwarzer's (2007) healthy eating study, self-efficacy was manipulated by giving participants ______.

A) information about the usefulness of high self-efficacy in boosting self-esteem, a strict healthy eating plan and extrinsic motivators in the form of money rewards
B) information on how negative emotions can boost self-efficacy through resilience, brief videos of potential eating triggers and intrinsic motivation in the form of social praise
C) information about the usefulness of high self-efficacy in meeting goals, brief exercises to improve self-efficacy for healthy eating and persuasion and reminders of past success
D) None of these

Question 14

If we want to increase well-being, it may be easier to teach ______ rather than trying to change ______.

A) coping skills; self-esteem
B) self-esteem; negative situations
C) authenticity; existing perceptions of self
D) intrinsic motivation; extrinsic motivation

Question 15

Self-compassion is associated with ______.

A) lower performance, negative emotions, motivation and higher mindfulness
B) more negative emotions, resilience and coping skills
C) higher self-esteem, conscientiousness, academic mastery and curiosity
D) higher agreeableness, extraversion and less negative emotions

Question 16

In the Twenty Statements Test, Euro-Americans are more likely to describe themselves with ______, while Japanese were more likely to write about ______.

A) specific trait terms; abstract trait terms
B) abstract traits terms; social roles
C) fewer trait terms; more trait terms
D) more negative trait terms; fewer negative trait terms

Question 17

Self-enhancement is the tendency to ______ and is probably stronger in ______.

A) see oneself in a positive way; Eastern cultures
B) see oneself in a positive way; Western cultures
C) see others in a negative way; Western cultures
D) see others in a positive light; Eastern cultures