Module 59 REVIEW

• 59-1 Why has psychology generated so much research on the self? How important is self-esteem to our well-being?

• The self is the center of personality, organizing our thoughts, feelings, and actions.
• Considering possible selves helps motivate us toward positive development, but focusing too intensely on ourselves can lead to the spotlight effect.
• High self-esteem is beneficial, but unrealistically high self-esteem is dangerous (linked to aggressive behavior) and fragile. Self-efficacy is our sense of competence.
• Rather than unrealistically promoting children’s feelings of self-worth, it is better to reward their achievements, which leads to feelings of competence.

• 59-2 How do excessive optimism, blindness to one’s own incompetence, and self-serving bias reveal the costs of self-esteem, and how do defensive and secure self-esteem differ?

• Excessive optimism can lead to complacency and prevent us from seeing real risks, while blindness to one’s own incompetence may lead us to make the same mistakes repeatedly.
• Self-serving bias is our normal tendency to perceive ourselves favorably, as when viewing ourselves as better than average or when accepting credit for our successes but not blame for our failures.
• Narcissism is excessive self-love and self-absorption.
• Defensive self-esteem is fragile, focuses on sustaining itself, and views failure or criticism as a threat. Secure self-esteem is sturdy, enabling us to feel accepted for who we are.

• 59-3 How do individualist and collectivist cultures differ in their values and goals?

• Although individuals vary, different cultures tend to emphasize either individualism or collectivism.
• Cultures based on self-reliant individualism tend to value personal independence and individual achievement. They define identity in terms of self-esteem, personal goals and attributes, and personal rights and liberties.
• Cultures based on socially connected collectivism tend to value group goals, social identity, and commitments. They define identity in terms of interdependence, tradition, and harmony.

Multiple-Choice Questions

1. Which of the following is an example of self-efficacy?
   1. Manuela believes others are always watching her.
   2. Abraham believes he is a good person.
   3. Rasheed has placed in skating competitions, which makes him believe that he is a competent skater.
   4. Saundra believes it rained because she’s been wishing for rain for days.
   5. Igor maintains his optimism despite doing poorly in his math class.
2. Which of the following is most likely to be true of a person from an individualist culture?
   1. His behavior would be a reflection of his personality and attitudes.
   2. He would choose a career based on the needs of his community.
   3. He would view his life task as fitting in and maintaining connections.
   4. He would strive to develop a few close and enduring relationships.
   5. He would focus on his duty to his family.
3. Karl was late to his interview because he left the house late and did not use his GPS for directions. If Karl is making use of the self-serving bias, which of the following statements will he use to explain his lateness?
   1. “I thought I knew where I was going, but I got lost.”
   2. “I spent too much time trying to find a tie that matched this shirt.”
   3. “My GPS told me to turn left when I should have turned right.”
   4. “I am usually right in predicting how long it takes me to get places, but today there was more traffic than I anticipated.”
   5. “Sometimes I procrastinate and do not leave enough time to get places.”

Practice FRQs

1. Walking out of his AP^® psychology exam, Dwight told his friends, “I did so well, they might just have to give me a 6!” Explain how each of the following might be involved in Dwight’s statement.
   • Self-efficacy
   • Self-esteem
   • Self-serving bias

Answer

1 point: Self-efficacy would be involved if Dwight had proven readiness for the AP^® exam—for example if he had done well on his teacher’s tests during the year. Page 612

1 point: Self-esteem would be involved if Dwight, in general, feels good about himself. Page 612

1 point: The self-serving bias may cause Dwight to assume he will do better than most even if he wasn’t well prepared. Page 614

2. Troy has decided to move from the United States to Japan. Describe two cultural elements that will be different for Troy when he moves.

(2 points)