Lecky proposed a definition of self-concept in 1945 of which the "basic premise is that all of an individual's values are organized into a single system, the nucleus of which is his valuation of himself. The fundamental need of every individual is to develop and maintain a unified mental organization. As he undergoes new experiences, he accepts or rejects them in terms of their compatibility with his present self. He thereby maintains his individuality and avoids conflict" (Mouly, 1973, p. 85).
Several implications are readily apparent from the preceding definition of self-concept. The first is that the individual must begin by liking himself. However, Maslow's hierarchy indicates that self-love must be supported by and developed from the satisfaction of physiological needs and from having received the necessary security, love, and esteem from the other significant people in his environment. The individual's view of himself is influenced by the self-view reflected from his surroundings as he interacts within his life situation. Normally, the most influential people in each individual's life are the members of his family, and the most important single component in the development of the self-concept is the home. Therefore, although new dimensions can be molded into the student's self-concept, he brings his basic self-concept with him when he comes to school for the first time.
The individual's self-concept encompasses his entire person. It is a product of all the physical, cognitive, social, economic, moral, and emotional factors that have gone into his makeup. The acquired self-concept is a prerequisite for all subsequent endeavors that the individual may undertake. Until he has developed a unified mental organization of his world of reality, maximally satisfactory participation in his life situation is unlikely. This cognitive network of information determines to a large extent not only how he perceives the external world but also how he reacts to it. Lacking an adequate self-concept, the individual is reluctant to accept himself or others. He will also shy away from any and all activities that threaten him.
As well as a conception of what she is as a person, each individual has a vision of what she would like to be, an "ideal self" (Ausubel & Robinson, 1969). The closer the perceived self approaches to the desired self, the better the individual's adjustment and the more adequate her self-concept. If the distance between the two is small enough to permit the individual to like herself, the disparity serves as a strong motivating factor. If the gulf is dis- couragingly wide, psychological maladjustment may arise (Klausmeier& Ripple, 1971). Most, if not all, of her thinking and resultant actions arise from her desires to maintain her self-concept, to narrow the gap between the "I" she sees and the "I" she would like to be, and/or to avoid psychological damages to her self-image and self-esteem. As Anderson (1952, p. 236) describes the process, "The pattern of life of every individual is a living-out of his self-image; it is his road map for living. People can be counted on to behave according to their own patterns."
Schwartz (1972) has identified five stages in self-concept development:
1. From birth to one-and-one-half or two, children acquire a sense of trust or distrust in and for their surroundings and the people in their surroundings.
2. From two to four, they develop a sense of autonomy or feelings of shame and doubt.
3. From four to seven, their self-concept is characterized by a sense of initiative or of a sense of guilt.
4. Between the ages of seven and eleven or twelve, they progress to a sense of industry or feelings of inferiority.
5. The final stage occuring during adolescence is the arrival at a state of self-identity or the failure to do so, which results in an identity diffusion.
The extremes postulated in the various stages are not either-or descriptions, but general tendencies. The same individual might demonstrate varying tendencies in given situations or at different stages of development. For example, a student might have a strong academic self-concept while at the same time be quite insecure socially. Too, individuals can be expected to differ with regard to the age at which they may move from one stage to another.
As was mentioned previously, one of the problems with which contemporary schools have to deal is the feeling of alienation being experienced by substantial numbers of the student body. This anomie is due partially to an inadequate self-concept. The search for personal identity, or the failure of many young people to be able to answer the question "Who am I?", has become an increasing problem as growing portions of society have moved away from the family unit as the basic socializing agent. As the family has failed to fulfill its traditional role, the responsibility has fallen increasingly on the schools. Many parents now expect teachers to concern themselves with areas of individual development that were previously relegated to the home and family (Finkelstein, 1973).
The child with a positive self-concept accepts himself and is confident of his ability to deal with others and with his environment. The child with a negative self-concept is plagued by feelings of two inadequacies. First, he is unable to accept himself as a person, seeing himself as being unlovable. Second, he is insecure in his relationships with his surrounding circumstances, feeling a lack of ability to cope with his situation. The individual who has a negative self-concept may attempt to compensate for this by turning to some form of deviant behavior, such as drug addiction, crime, etc. (Ellsworth, 1967). A person handicapped by a low self-image has difficulty expressing himself freely, undertaking new and different tasks, and participating in new and different situations (Brothers, 1973).
Self-concept is such a basic component of one's personality that it affects not only how one thinks and feels but also what one attempts to undertake. Furthermore, it affects one's expectations and performance. Individuals' ability to learn, their capacity to grow and change, their choice of friends, mate, and career are all determined to a greater or lesser extent by their vision of themselves (Brothers, 1973).
The individual's self-concept is stable, but not static. Each person seeks to maintain a relatively high degree of harmony within himself and between himself and his environment. As he does so, a gradual evolution of his self-concept occurs as a result of his adjustment to the image of himself that he is receiving from his experiences. To promote change in a person's self-image, one must first take into account the defense mechanisms built into the ego. The ego must be protected from uncomfortable damage, and most individuals are more concerned with protection than change. Therefore, the crucial factor in attempting to change a person's self-image is to establish a nonthreatening atmosphere (Mouly, 1973).