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Self Concept Essay | Essay on Self Concept for Students and Children in English

February 7, 2024 by Prasanna

Self Concept Essay:  Self-concept refers to how a person thinks about, evaluates, and perceives themselves. It is a concept of being aware of oneself or having a concept of oneself. It is considered a person’s belief about oneself and the person’s attributes about what they think about oneself.

The self-concept embodies the answer to “Who am I? It is the extent to which self-knowledge is defined. It applies to a person’s attitudes and dispositions.

You can also find more  Essay Writing  articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more.

Long and Short Essays on Self Concept for Students and Kids in English

We are providing essay samples to students on a long essay of 500 words in English and a short essay on 150 words in English on the topic Self Concept Essay for reference.

Long Essay on Self Concept 500 Words in English

Long Essay on Self Concept is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

According to Burns, in 1982, “self concept is an image which an individual has of themselves.” Conceptualization and its process form its origin. Self-concept is an important aspect of life because it molds our thinking process and how we act and behave in our everyday life. It is one primary effect that impacts managerial thinking. It has a powerful influence on one of the many behaviours.

The self-concept has three components, which are self-image, ideal self, and self-esteem. Self-image is how the person sees oneself. Self-esteem is how much the person values themselves, and the ideal self is how the person wishes himself to be. The concept of one’s self is active, dynamic, and malleable. The self-concept can be influenced by surrounding social situations and even if a person tends to motivate themselves.

With age, people tend to grow in knowledge, skills, and awareness about themselves. This consciousness is called self. It is the reflection of one’s own identity as an individual, as a person. There are various ways in which a person thinks about themselves. Self-concept is the thinking aspect of oneself. It forms a primary part of the personality and reflects many personality traits in a person.

It is a mental image that a person has about his strengths and weaknesses. These are the set of opinions, attitudes, and cognitions that an individual has on themselves. The self-concept can be distinguished from self-awareness. It is the extent to which self-knowledge can be defined.

The self-concept in a person includes the past, present, and future of an individual, where the future selves define what the person might become or what they yearn to become, or what they are afraid of becoming. People hold a perception of their past and future selves, based on which they hold their perception of their present selves.

The concept of oneself is considered malleable when a person is at his younger age and is still going through the process of discovering his habits, behaviours, likes, and dislikes. With age, perceptions become more organized and detailed. They form a better idea of what they want to become and what is most important for them.

Various psychologists have put forward different domains for a self-concept which are, social domain, which is the ability to interact with others; competence domain is the ability to meet the basic needs; affect domain is the state of awareness; the physical domain is the feeling about the appearance of oneself, the academic domain is the awareness of success and failure in school and family domain refers to how the individual functions with family.

The concept that a person has of himself is not always aligned with reality. The degree to which a person’s self-concept matches up to the reality is defined as congruence and incongruence. When self-concept aligns with reality, it is called congruence; it is called incongruence when it does not match up. It is always best to think positively regarding oneself for self-encouragement.

Short Essay on Self Concept 150 Words in English

Short Essay on Self Concept is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Self-concept is the personal knowledge of an individual about who they are, how they are encompassing all their thoughts and feelings. It includes knowledge about how a person behaves, their capabilities, and their characteristics.

The self-concept of an individual develops rapidly during a person’s childhood and adolescence. It tends to take shape, and further changes as a person learn more about themselves. The self-concept should be understood by the structure of awareness and knowledge. People pay attention to themselves and notice both their internal states as well as external behaviours.

People collect information regarding themselves and based on this information, the concept of one’s self tends to build up, and people expand their ideas about who they are. Self-concept is not a single unitary concept; it is dynamic and is impacted by both the individual and society. Self-approval can contribute to greater success in an individual if he or she accepts themselves as they are.

10 Lines on Self Concept Essay in English

1. Carl Rogers has mentioned three components of self-concept; they are self-image, self-esteem, and ideal self. 2. One’s own motivation can influence the self-concept for seeking self-knowledge. 3. The self-concept has an active structure, and it changes from time to time. 4. Adolescence is the critical period for the ideal development of the self-concept. 5. Self-concept is made up of multiple schemes. 6. The self-concept has large cognitive and motivational roots. 7. The influence of society can manipulate the self-concept. 8. It is hierarchical and depends on an individual’s perception. 9. The ideal self-concept of an individual helps a person to construct himself in the proper way. 10. The concept of one’s self differs from one individual to another depending upon their surroundings and upbringings.

FAQ’s on Self Concept Essay

Question 1.  Can self-concept influence one’s academic performance?

Answer: There are various factors in which a person’s academic performance depends. The self-concept can influence the performance to a certain extent.

Question 2.  Does the Self-concept have any influence on self-confidence?

Answer: Yes, it does. If one has a good perspective about oneself, it will have an advantage in a person’s self-confidence.

Question 3.  What factors affect a person’s self-concept?

Answer: The factors are age, gender, and religion, along with self-esteem and self-image.

Question 4. Who created the self-concept?

Answer: Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow popularized the term “self-concept.”

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What Is Self-Concept and Why Does It Matter?

Learn about your self-concept and how it affects well-being..

Posted September 1, 2021 | Reviewed by Gary Drevitch

Our self-concept is the image we have of our bodies, capabilities, impressions, etc. (Bailey, 2003). It includes:

• The material self. Our body, possessions, and other things in our lives.
• The interpersonal self. The views others hold about us.
• The intrapersonal self. Our emotions, desires, needs, values, etc. (Epstein, 1973)

Research psychologists noticed that the way we see ourselves is often similar to the way others see us. This finding is referred to as the looking-glass self (Epstein, 1973). This research taught us that much of our self-concept emerges from the social interactions we have with others. Our 'self' emerges based on the information others tell us about who we are.

Our self-concept also includes the self-awareness that we are part of categories based on our age, gender , race, etc. Some people theorize that self-concept is like the glue that holds all the pieces of our personality together. And, at its most basic, self-concept is the answer we give when asked the question "Who am I?"

Why Does the Self-Concept Matter?

Each of us has parts of ourselves that we believe are the most important (Epstein, 1973). For example, an athlete might view their athleticism to be of central importance to their self-concept, even though they also enjoy cooking and are part of a big family. Some have even suggested that the self is arranged hierarchically, with relatively important parts above less important parts. But each of us decides which parts are important to us.

​As we experience new things and gain additional information from others, the self-concept may determine which new aspects of personality are acceptable. If new parts don't jibe with the old parts, they may not be allowed, thus ensuring that our sense of self remains reliable and intact (Epstein, 1973). As we grow older, contradictory evidence may have less impact on our self-concept. So it can become harder to integrate external information, particularly if it disrupts important aspects of the self-concept.

How Does Self-Concept Relate to Well-Being?

Several aspects of the self-concept also play a role in well-being . These include:

• Self-image: The way you see yourself.
• Self-esteem (or self-worth): The extent to which you value yourself or believe you have worth.
• Ideal self: The vision you have of your best self.

Self-image ​

The terms self-image and self-concept are sometimes used interchangeably, but more often, self-image is defined as how you see yourself. This may be literal, like when looking in the mirror. But it can also involve mental representations of yourself. These may or may not be consistent with what one actually sees in the mirror.

Self-esteem (or self-worth)

Self-esteem is broadly defined as the extent to which we like or value ourselves. This generally includes evaluating two parts of ourselves (Tafarodi & Swann Jr, 2001):

• Intrinsic value. This refers to our belief that we are a good (or not-so-good) person. If we have intrinsic value, then we value ourselves just for being who we are. This is also sometimes thought of as the extent to which we like ourselves.
• Instrumental value. This refers to our belief that we can do good things. If we have instrumental value, then we value ourselves because of the things we do. This is also sometimes thought of as the extent to which we respect ourselves.

The ideal self is defined as the self we would like to be—our best self. It appears to originate from the ideal selves that our parents hold for us and communicate to us through childhood (Zentner & Renaud, 2007).

​In positive psychology, the ideal self is thought to include three parts (Boyatzis, & Akrivou, 2006):

• The image of our desired future. This may include dreams , aspirations, and goals .
• Hope. This includes self-efficacy and optimism (beliefs that we can indeed achieve our goals).
• A clear self-concept. This includes an understanding of our core identity and enduring traits. Our ideal self needs to fit with our values, beliefs, and who we are.

Our ideal self is a vision of what we could be or do. That's why the ideal self is thought to be a helpful motivator—it inspires us to progress toward goals and improve our lives in beneficial ways. It may also include aspirations, passions, dreams, and purpose—all things that tend to be good for our well-being.

Our self-concept is an important guiding principle that helps us navigate the world and understand our role in it. Parts of our self-concept may be good or not-so-good for our well-being. That's why learning more about our own self-concept can be beneficial.

Adapted from an article published by The Berkeley Well-Being Institute .

​Bailey 2nd, J. A. (2003). Self-image, self-concept, and self-identity revisited. Journal of the National Medical Association, 95(5), 383.

​Boyatzis, R. E., & Akrivou, K. (2006). The ideal self as the driver of intentional change. Journal of management development.

Epstein, S. (1973). The self-concept revisited: Or a theory of a theory. American psychologist, 28(5), 404.

​Tafarodi, R. W., & Swann Jr, W. B. (2001). Two-dimensional self-esteem: Theory and measurement. Personality and individual Differences, 31(5), 653-673.

​Zentner, M., & Renaud, O. (2007). Origins of adolescents' ideal self: An intergenerational perspective. Journal of personality and social psychology, 92(3), 557​

Tchiki Davis, Ph.D. , is a consultant, writer, and expert on well-being technology.

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What Is Self-Concept?

The Fundamental "Who Am I?" Question

Verywell / Cindy Chung 

• What is Self-Concept?
• How It Develops
• Can It Be Changed?

Other Self-Concept Theories

Frequently asked questions.

Self-concept is the image we have of ourselves. It is influenced by many forces, including our interaction with the important people in our lives. It is how we perceive our behaviors, abilities, and unique characteristics. For example, beliefs such as "I am a good friend" or "I am a kind person" are part of an overall self-concept.

Other examples of self-concept include:

• How you view your personality traits , such as whether you are an extrovert or introvert
• How you see your roles in life, such as whether you feel that being a parent, sibling, friend, and partner are important parts of your identity
• The hobbies or passions that are important to your sense of identity, such as being a sports enthusiast or belonging to a particular political party or religious group
• How you feel about your interactions with the world, such as whether you think that you are contributing to society

Our self-perception is important because it affects our motivations , attitudes, and behaviors . It also affects how we feel about the person we think we are, including whether we are competent or have self-worth.

Self-concept tends to be more malleable when we're younger and still going through self-discovery and identity formation . As we age and learn who we are and what's important to us, these self-perceptions become much more detailed and organized.

At its most basic, self-concept is a collection of beliefs one holds about oneself and the responses of others. It embodies the answer to the question: " Who am I? " If you want to find your self-concept, list things that describe you as an individual. What are your traits? What do you like? How do you feel about yourself?

How Carl Roger's Defines Self-Concept

Humanist psychologist  Carl Rogers believed that self-concept is made up of three distinct parts: ideal self, self-image, and self-esteem. His theory explains what it means when these parts are congruent or incongruent with reality that impacts your self-concept.

Three Parts of Self-Concept

Rogers described the self-concept as being composed of three parts:

• Ideal self : The ideal self is the person you want to be . This person has the attributes or qualities you are either working toward or want to possess. It's who you envision yourself to be if you were exactly the person you wanted to be.
• Self-image : Self-image refers to how you see yourself at this moment in time. Physical characteristics, personality traits , and social roles affect your self-image.
• Self-esteem : How much you like, accept, and value yourself contributes to your self-concept. Self-esteem can be affected by a number of factors, including how others see you, how you think you compare to others, and your role in society.

Incongruence and Congruence

Self-concept is not always aligned with reality. When it is aligned, it is said to be congruent . If there is a mismatch between how you see yourself (your self-image) and who you wish you were (your ideal self), your self-concept is incongruent . This incongruence can negatively affect self-esteem .

Rogers believed that incongruence has its earliest roots in childhood. When parents place conditions on their affection for their children (e.g., only expressing love if children "earn it" through certain behaviors and living up to the parents' expectations), children begin to distort their memories of experiences that leave them feeling unworthy of their parents' love.

Unconditional love , on the other hand, helps to foster congruence. Children who experience such love—also referred to as family love —feel no need to continually distort their memories in order to believe that other people will love and accept them as they are.

Unconditional Love

Unconditional love , on the other hand, helps to foster congruence between self-concept and reality and thereby nurtures positive self-esteem.

How Self-Concept Develops

Self-concept develops, in part, through our interaction and observation of others. In addition to family members and close friends, other people in our community and in the media can contribute to our self-identity.

Someone believes in you. For instance, one study found that the more a teacher believes in a high-performing student's abilities, the higher that student's self-concept. (Interestingly, no such association was found with lower-performing students.)

The characters we identify with. Self-concept can also be developed through the stories we hear. For example, one study found that female readers who were "deeply transported" into a story about a leading character with a traditional gender role had a more  feminist self-concept  than those who weren't as moved by the story. Thus, relating to and identifying with the character may affect your emotional response and confirm or alter your own ideas about yourself.

The media. Both mass media and social media also play a role in self-concept development. When these media promote certain ideals, we're more likely to make those ideals our own. The more often these ideals are presented, the more they affect our self-identity and self-perception.

Can Self-Concept Be Changed?

Self-concept is not static, meaning that it can change. Our environment plays a role in this process. Places we are exposed to, especially those that hold a lot of meaning to us, actively contribute to our future self-concept through how we relate these environments to ourselves and how society relates to them.

Self-concept can also change based on the people with whom we interact. This is particularly true for individuals in our lives who are in leadership roles. They can impact the collective self (the self in social groups) and the relational self (the self in relationships).

In some cases, a medical diagnosis can change self-concept by helping people understand why they feel the way they do—such as someone receiving an autism diagnosis later in life, finally providing clarity as to why they feel different.

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As with many topics within psychology , several other theorists have proposed different ways of thinking about self-concept.

Social Identity

Social psychologist Henri Tajfel developed social identity theory, which states that self-concept is composed of two essential parts:

• Personal identity : The traits and other characteristics that make you unique
• Social identity : Who you are based on your membership in social groups, such as sports teams, religions, political parties, or social class

This theory states that our social identity influences our self-concept, thus affecting our emotions and behaviors. If we're playing sports, for instance, and our team loses a game, we might feel sad for the team (emotion) or act out against the winning team (behavior).

Multiple Dimensions

Psychologist Bruce A. Bracken had a slightly different theory and believed that self-concept was multidimensional, consisting of six independent traits:

• Academic : Success or failure in school
• Affect : Awareness of emotional states
• Competence : Ability to meet basic needs
• Family : How well you work in your family unit
• Physical : How you feel about your looks, health, physical condition, and overall appearance
• Social : Ability to interact with others

In 1992, Bracken developed the Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale, a comprehensive assessment that evaluates each of these six elements of self-concept in children and adolescents.

Self-concept development is never finished. Though self-identity is thought to be primarily formed in childhood, your experiences as an adult can also change how you feel about yourself. If your self-esteem increases later in life, for instance, it can improve your self-concept.

Our self-concept can affect the method by which we communicate. If you feel you are a good writer, for instance, you may prefer to communicate in writing versus speaking with others.

It can also affect the way we communicate. If your social group communicates a certain way, you would likely choose to communicate that way as well. Studies on teens have connected high self-concept clarity with more open communication with parents.

Self-concept refers to a broad description of ourselves ("I am a good writer"), while self-esteem includes any judgments or opinions we have of ourselves ("I feel proud to be a good writer"). Put another way, self-concept answers the question: Who am I? Self-esteem answers the question: How do I feel about who I am?

Our self-concept impacts how we respond to life, so a well-developed self-concept helps us respond in ways that are more positive and beneficial for us and those around us. One of the ways it does this is by enabling us to recognize our worth. A well-developed self-concept also helps keep us from internalizing negative feedback from others.

Different cultures have different beliefs. They have different ideas of how dependent or independent one should be, as well as religious beliefs and views of socioeconomic development.

All of these cultural norms influence self-concept by providing the structure of what is expected within that society and how one sees oneself in relation to others.

Bailey JA 2nd. Self-image, self-concept, and self-identity revisited . J Natl Med Assoc . 2003;95(5):383-386.

Mercer S. Self-concept: Situating the self . In: Mercer S, Ryan S, Williams M, eds. Psychology for Language Learning . Palgrave Macmillan; 2012. doi:10.1057/9781137032829_2

Argyle M. Social encounters: Contributions to Social Interaction . 1st ed. Routledge; 1973.

Koch S. Formulations of the person and the social context . In: Psychology: A Study of a Science. Vol. III. McGraw-Hill;1959:184-256.

Pesu L, Viljaranta J, Aunola K. The role of parents' and teachers' beliefs in children's self-concept development . J App Develop Psychol . 2016;44:63-71. doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2016.03.001

Vandenbosch L, Eggermont S. The interrelated roles of mass media and social media in adolescents' development of an objectified self-concept: A longitudinal study . Communc Res . 2015. doi:10.1177/0093650215600488

Prince D. What about place? Considering the role of physical environment on youth imagining of future possible selves . J Youth Stud . 2014;17(6):697-716. doi:10.1080/13676261.2013.836591

Kark R, Shamir B. The dual effect of transformational leadership: Priming relational and collective selves and further effects on followers . In: Avolio BJ, Yammarino FJ, eds.  Monographs in Leadership and Management . Vol 5. Emerald Group Publishing Limited; 2013:77-101. doi:10.1108/S1479-357120130000005010

Stagg SD, Belcher H. Living with autism without knowing: Receiving a diagnosis in later life . Health Psychol Behav Med . 2019;7(1):348-361. doi:10.1080/21642850.2019.1684920

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Scheepers D, Ellemers N. Social identity theory . In: Sassenberg K, Vliek MLW, eds.  Social Psychology in Action . Springer International Publishing; 2019:129-143. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-13788-5_9

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Van Dijk MPA, Branje S, Keijsers L, Hawk ST, Hale WW, Meeus W. Self-concept clarity across adolescence: Longitudinal associations with open communication with parents and internalizing symptoms . J Youth Adolesc . 2013;43:1861-1876. doi:10.1007/s10964-013-0055-x

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By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Home — Essay Samples — Psychology — Self Concept — Communication as a Mirror into Who You Are: The Role of Self-Concept

Communication as a Mirror into Who You Are: The Role of Self-concept

• Categories: Interpersonal Communication Self Concept

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Published: Apr 17, 2023

Words: 1591 | Pages: 3 | 8 min read

Table of contents

Introduction.

• West, R., & Turner, L. (2011). Understanding interpersonal communication (2nd ed., p. 10-199). Boston: Wadsworth.

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114 Self-Concept Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Self-concept is the way we perceive ourselves and our abilities. It plays a crucial role in our mental and emotional well-being, as it influences how we think, feel, and behave in various situations. Developing a healthy self-concept is essential for building self-confidence, self-esteem, and overall life satisfaction.

If you're struggling to come up with a topic for your self-concept essay, we've got you covered. Here are 114 self-concept essay topic ideas and examples to help you get started:

• How does social media impact our self-concept?
• The role of family in shaping our self-concept.
• How do cultural norms influence our self-concept?
• The impact of peer pressure on self-concept.
• How does gender identity affect self-concept?
• The importance of self-acceptance in developing a positive self-concept.
• How does body image influence self-concept?
• The relationship between self-concept and mental health.
• The role of education in shaping self-concept.
• How does self-concept change over time?
• The impact of childhood experiences on self-concept.
• The role of self-esteem in self-concept.
• How does personality type influence self-concept?
• The relationship between self-concept and success.
• The impact of societal standards on self-concept.
• How does self-concept affect our relationships with others?
• The role of self-talk in shaping self-concept.
• The impact of trauma on self-concept.
• The relationship between self-concept and resilience.
• How does self-concept influence goal-setting and achievement?
• The impact of social comparison on self-concept.
• The role of self-compassion in developing a positive self-concept.
• How does self-concept influence career choices?
• The impact of media representation on self-concept.
• The relationship between self-concept and self-care.
• The role of self-awareness in developing a healthy self-concept.
• How does self-concept influence decision-making?
• The impact of societal expectations on self-concept.
• The relationship between self-concept and body language.
• How does self-concept affect our communication style?
• The role of self-reflection in developing a positive self-concept.
• The impact of social support on self-concept.
• The relationship between self-concept and emotional intelligence.
• How does self-concept influence leadership abilities?
• The role of self-confidence in shaping self-concept.
• The impact of self-identity on self-concept.
• The relationship between self-concept and personal values.
• How does self-concept influence our perception of others?
• The role of self-perception in developing a healthy self-concept.
• The impact of mindfulness on self-concept.
• The relationship between self-concept and self-expression.
• How does self-concept influence our coping mechanisms?
• The role of self-worth in shaping self-concept.
• The impact of self-doubt on self-concept.
• The relationship between self-concept and self-fulfilling prophecies.
• How does self-concept influence our decision-making process?
• The impact of self-acceptance on self-concept.
• The relationship between self-concept and self-care practices.
• How does self-concept influence our ability to set and achieve goals?
• How does self-concept influence our relationships with others?
• How does self-concept influence our perception of ourselves?
• The role of self-esteem in shaping self-concept.
• The relationship between self-concept and self-identity.
• How does self-concept influence our ability to cope with stress?
• How does self-concept influence our ability to overcome challenges?

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Self Concept Essay | Positive and Negative Self Concept, Long and Short Essays on Self Concept Theory

Self Concept Essay: Self-concept is how an individual thinks about oneself, based on their habits, skills, and attitude. In other words, it is the ability to reflect on one’s own characteristics and behavior. Self-concept is the image we have of ourselves in the mind, and also the views we think others have about us. The self-concept plays an important part in our overall well-being. It involves the ways we look at our characteristics, how we present ourselves and interact with others, and it even influences our decisions and actions. The self-concept is an awareness that contains knowledge about us. It includes our beliefs about our personality, physical appearance, abilities, values, and goals. It is a representation of the consciousness that we exist as individuals.

Self-concept is all about our beliefs, preferences, and attitudes guiding us towards our personal existence. It forms the basis of how we think, behaves, and perform in our various life roles at different points in time. The self-concept starts to develop at a young age when an individual is going through the process of self-discovery and identity formation. With age and experience, the self-concept becomes much more organized.

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Theory of Self Concept

There are different theories available on self-concept, being it a part of psychological studies. According to one theory, the self-concept has two main attributes namely Personal Identity and Social Identity. Personal Identity is the unique personality trait that characterizes a person. On the other hand, social identity is based on an individual’s role in social circles and groups. Another theory suggests that the self-concept is multidimensional and can be demonstrated through the following traits of human behavior.

• Affect: Awareness about emotional beliefs
• Academic: Success or failure in academics
• Competence: Ability to respond to basic needs
• Family: Interaction within family circles
• Personal: Awareness about physical characteristics, appearance, health, etc.
• Social: Capability to interact in social groups

As per psychologist Carl Rogers, the self-concept comprises three different aspects namely ideal self (the ambition), self-image (your view about yourself), and self-esteem (how you value your presence and role in society).

Positive and Negative Self Concept

A positive self-concept is a belief about oneself that helps to successfully face various challenges of life and then make some positive impact on the lives of others. The development of the self-concept in a child is often influenced by the response received from adults. A positive self-concept helps the child to feel confident and involved in various activities. Positive self-concept improves mental and emotional health and plays an important role in nurturing constructive relationships. There are various aspects that can have an influence on the development of self-concepts such as age, gender, religion, and traditions.

A positive self-concept helps us to recognize our own abilities and potentials while being realistic about our liabilities and limitations. But with a negative self-concept, we tend to focus on our failures, weaknesses, and imperfections. We sometimes get influenced by rejection, judgment, and criticism from other people. This gradually shapes the self-concept of what we believe about ourselves, our capabilities, and the world around us. In many ways, our self-image is related to the people who have some kind of opinion about us.

Influence in Careers

Positive and negative self-concepts can also influence career decisions. A positive self-concept would drive you towards seeking more opportunities for growth. You can develop the ability to handle rejections and failures much better and look for career success. Recognizing self-worth and keeping self-esteem are the byproducts of self-concept which can increase engagement in work. A positive self-concept is particularly important for team leaders to improve relationships with coworkers and to understand how their beliefs and behaviors affect themselves as well as others in the organization.

Short Essay on Self Concept

Factors influencing self-concept

The formation of the self-concept begins from early childhood. It continues to develop and evolve throughout life under the influence of various internal and external factors. These factors include emotional, social, physical, practical, mental, and spiritual beliefs and attributes. A healthy self-concept makes you feel good about yourself and deserve respect from others. But with a negative self-concept, you put little value on your opinions and ideas and lose self-confidence. Many theories indicate that there is a strong relationship between self-concept and motivation to perform. A person with a positive self-concept can view himself as intelligent and competent, whereas a low self-concept makes a person unapproachable and de-motivated. The theory suggests that we often view ourselves the same way that others perceive us. This tendency was referred to as the looking glass effect. Thus self-concept evolves through social interactions because we as social animals are concerned with how others look at us.

Developing a positive self-concept

The self-concept is not always aligned to reality in the sense of how you see yourself and how you wish you were. If there is a mismatch between the two, the self-concept is said to be ‘incongruent’. The roots of incongruence can be generated from childhood when parents place conditions on their love and affection in return for certain expectations to be fulfilled. Unconditional love, on the other hand, fosters congruence and positive self-concept. There are ways we can develop our self-concept in a more positive manner. It can begin with looking within ourselves, our beliefs, and our thought processes. We should devote efforts to shorten the gap between our ‘ideal’ self and ‘real’ self by making some realistic expectations. Represent your positive attitude through words and actions while interacting, and make important choices about your lifestyle and habits that impact the self-concept and help to reach your ideal selves.

FAQ’s on Self Concept Essay

Question 1. What is an important self-concept that helps students in academic achievement?

Answer: Students’ self-concept is reflected through their perceptions of their capabilities to succeed in academic tasks and motivates them to perform.

Question 2. What does social psychologist Henri Tajfel’s social identity theory suggest in the context of self-concept?

Answer: Henri Tajfel’s social identity theory suggests that the self-concept is composed of two parts as Personal identity and Social identity.

Question 3. Why is understanding self-concept important for managers in an organization?

Answer: Recognizing self-worth by managers can improve engagement and influence the work environment with self-confidence and motivation.

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Essay Samples on Self Concept

The possession and self concept.

We are surrounded by many objects from our childhood that decide the significance of our character. In this regard, possession is an important aspect in the acquisition of one’s identity and ownership throughout the life of a person. They range from small items such as...

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Experiences Of Controlling Self Concept

For most of my life, I have grown up in a predominantly Asian and Indian community. I was constantly surrounded by peers who wanted a career in the STEM field, to become a lawyer, or go into finance. I, however, wanted to perform. Apart from...

What Influences The Self Concept

Self and identity are intertwined as each plays an important role in shaping the individual. In this case, the individual represents the whole, while one half holds the self and the other half identifies. Self is the aspect of an individual's personality or personality; on...

Role Of Adolescence In Development Of Self Concept

Erik Erikson believed that each stage of development had a purpose and was important to the progress of life (Rathus, Berk, Longmuir & Rogerson, 2018). His fifth stage was set between the ages of twelve to eighteen (Rathus, et al., 2018). This is a transitional...

Best topics on Self Concept

1. The Possession And Self Concept

2. Experiences Of Controlling Self Concept

3. What Influences The Self Concept

4. Role Of Adolescence In Development Of Self Concept

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Home / Essay Samples / Psychology / Behavior / Self Concept

Self Concept Essay Examples

Different concepts about the philosophy of the self.

The philosophical framework for understanding the self was first introduced by the ancient great Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato and Aristotle - their concepts of self are reviewed in this philosophy of the self essay In addition, more philosophers introduced specific characteristics and meanings of the...

Real Vs. Ideal Self: a Journey of Self-discovery

Counseling psychologists who deal with persons suffering from some psychological problems and maladjustment, endeavor to bridge the gap between the individual's real self and ideal self. If means that maladjustment is taken to be scheme between the individual's real self and the ideal self. In...

The Cartesian Self: Rene Descartes and the Philosophy of Mind

I think, therefore I am. A famous quote from Rene Descartes who is a great philosopher that focuses on metaphysics. In Rene Descartes philosophy of self essay his philosophical viewpoint will be discussed.  He believed that everything that we know is made possible because of...

Interpersonal Communication, Self-concept, and Perception

Interpersonal communication is manner in which information, feelings, and ideas are interchanged between two or more people. This is done through both non-verbal and verbal communication methods. In this paper, I will be covering why interpersonal communication is inescapable, irreversible, and complicated. The first principal...

Social Media Practices: It’s Implication in Changing Self-concept

Nowadays, people already lived in a digital world where their actions are overly dependent by the technologies and social medias that they have. The rise of social media changes the way how people lived and build a self-concept that makes the process of the looking...

Development of Self in Society: Self-construction from Different Points of View

In this work "Development Of Self In Society Essay" paper we will research deeply of self-concept in society. The “self” of every human being is a construct of numerous elements, both external and as well as internal. A person often finds difficult on what is...

Self-concept Theory and Its Relevance in the Educational Concept

Self-concept theory is the perception that we have about who we are – physically, emotionally, social and spiritually, and in terms of any other aspect that make up who we are. However, an individual should be aware of how their behavior is regarded toward change...

The Influence of Racial Or Ethnic Discrimination a Person’s Self-concept

Discrimination and prejudiced attitudes are assumed to be damaging aspects of society. The research presents the cognitive, emotional, and social damages related to experiencing discrimination. This research proposal focuses on determining the impacts of prejudice and how it negatively affects an individual. Eight relevant research...

The Self of a Therapist and Self-concept

Self in the Indian context focuses on the self, as the reflection of a consciousness that eventually identifies the individual as a part of the universe or cosmos. The Bhagwat Gita considers the present life as just a period of transition, because the real self...

The Vocationale Development to Individuals with Disabilities: Self-concept

To begin, I became very curious about Autism Spectrum Disorders once I was working in a vocational disability day program. one among the special need person was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome (AS) and other related issues with concentration, socialization, and communication impairment. As his key...

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