Interconnection of Self Image, Self-Concept and Self-Esteem

Self Image

It is critical to have an idea on the way one sees oneself since this has an effect on one’s thinking, behavior and relations with other people. People react positively or negatively based on confidence and this confidence in relationships relies on the image of how one sees oneself. How others view you and how you view yourself are two different things. One’s views are defined by both unique thoughts and twisted views. Seeing the positive and negative in oneself differ from one’s level of self-esteem. If one has a negative view in seeing oneself, the one is most likely hypercritical of oneself (Nair, 2016).

The way individuals view or see themselves has been the focus of recent researches. These studies explained the preeminence between independent self-image and interdependent self-image. People who have independent self-image see themselves as separate from other people while people who have interdependent self-image intend to be within a social structure as well as keeping a harmonized relationship with other people. According to a recent study from the John Hopkins Carey Business School (2015), an individual's sense of independence and interdependence can contribute to how goals are placed. Participants were asked a series of possible actions which include increasing college average grades, losing weight and adding to a savings account - one's motivation of attaining a better state was preferred more when the actions are considered beneficial to them as individuals, as opposed to gain one's social groups.

Language can be strong - it is not just because of the words we utter but also the words we say to ourselves. One's personal thoughts, attitudes and emotions form what one does in their lives and what one thinks of oneself. A healthy self-image gives an individual the opportunity to become the best version of themselves. This is greatly related to one's self-esteem which can be a critical factor of a healthy personality. The more an individual likes themself, the more their confidence increases and the more efficient they become in life. On the other hand, the people with low self-esteem tend to hide away from the opportunities given to them, as well as preventing social situations. These daily actions will develop into a cycle of choices that will soon make it more difficult for people with low self-esteem to go beyond their comfort zones. Therefore, the way an individual perceives themselves is strong, regardless of the positivity or negativity of this perception (Oppong, 2019).

In addition, it was stated in the study of Gunnardsdottir (2014) that adolescence is a period where individuals undergo changes, be it physical, cognitive and/or social. These changes during this development period may be stressful and adolescents may feel less valuable compared to others, which in effect may put them at risk in having lower self-esteem. Self-image is revamped from childhood and onto adolescence through experiences in social settings which take place both inside and outside the family circle. The study also emphasized on the way self-image can serve as a mediator for the relationship between the family and among peers. Family is considered one of the key factors influencing self-image among adolescents. It was also found that the family demonstrated importance in the adolescence stage (Collins & Steinberg, 2007). Moreover, friends also impact self-image of adolescents.

Sex

An overall self-evaluation of gender differences and specific dimensions of self-concept were investigated among high school and college students. The role of gender attitude in the relationship of gender and self-concept was investigated as well. The results indicated differences in overall self-evaluation relative to gender which favored males and in specific self-concept dimensions, gender differences were consistent with gender stereotypes. Although differences were reported, these differences in overall self-evaluation were in a minimum and the stereotyping was not consistent enough (Jackson, Hodge & Ingram, 1994).

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In a previous self-concept research, a stereotypic pattern of gender differences has been found. Men tend to rate themselves higher on self-concept measures of power, invulnerability and giftedness while women rate themselves higher on self-concept measures of morality and likability. The study was able to test the validity of these gender differences in two natural life contexts which included work and family - based on the target person's view and others in the work contexts and family who knew the target person well. In summary, the gender stereotypic pattern of self-concept was apparent in family and work observers, as well as in self-ratings (Stake, 1992).

Existing studies revealed ample evidence of gender-typed self-descriptions. In line with this, men are more likely to see themselves as financially oriented, independent, achievement-oriented and competitive compared to women. On the other hand, women saw themselves as a dependent, less assertive, sociable and moral. In contrast to what was presented, gender differences in self-descriptive and self-evaluative global dimensions are equivocal (Pinquart & Sorensen, 2001).

Social Relationships

The product of learning is self-image. Parents and caregivers are considered major influences in an individual’s self-image. These people are like mirrors that reflect images of the self. Experiences with friends, teachers and family add to the mirror image and these present relationships strengthen feelings and thoughts about the self. On the other hand, strengths and weaknesses can affect present behavior where there is a continuous intake of information and evaluation of the self in areas such as the physical, performance and relationships. Self-image is important due to the fact that the way one thinks about oneself affects how one acts with other people and how one feels about oneself. A negative self-image can decrease the ability to function in the said areas as well as gratification. On the other hand, a positive self-image increases mental, social, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being (Cleveland Clinic, 2016).

At this point, among other things, it can be observed that humans have well-developed and complex self-concepts and that they generally attempt to positively view themselves. However, the affective and cognitive aspects do not occur in a vacuum, these are influenced to a great extent by social forces that revolve around them. An example would be in self-verification theory, where it was determined that responses from other people can impact self-esteem and self-concept. The self is not created in isolation, and perception towards the self is not innate, such as being shy, being charitable to others or being interested in jazz; rather, these beliefs are determined through the way one observes and interacts with other people. The self has significance only within the social context and there is nothing wrong in saying how social situations define one’s self-esteem and self-concept. People tend to trust on other people to give a 'social reality' that will serve as a guide in determining what one does, thinks and feels (Jhangiani & Tarry, 2014).

Self-image can be formed through interactions with other people, taking into account the way others react to and categorize another. Others’ reactions are based on their own worldview distortions, however, one does not always get an accurate reflection of themselves. Also, there is a tendency to compare oneself against their family and friends' expectations which is due to the way society often provides us expectations and roles, such as being a good parent or having a successful career. All this can contribute to how one sees oneself continually. To add, a negative self-image leads to a sense of inferiority or even as worse as depression while a positive self-image leads to self-acceptance and confidence. Overall, people who develop a realistic and mature self-image will less likely come undone by every critical comment from others (Collingwood, 2020).