Chapter 2
Communication
and Personal Identity
The Self
• The self:
 A multidimensional process of internalizing and
acting from social perspectives
 Arises in communication with others
– Perspective of particular others
– Perspective of the generalized other
Particular Others
• Particular others are specific people who are
significant to us
 Direct definition
 Reflected appraisal
– Self-fulfilling prophecies
 Identity scripts
 Attachment styles
Attachment Styles
• Patterns of caregiving that teach us who we
and others are and how to approach
relationships
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Secure
Fearful
Dismissive
Anxious/ambivalent
The Generalized Other
• The views generally held by others in
society
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Race
Gender
Sexual orientation
Socioeconomic class
How Are Perspectives of the Generalized
Other Revealed to Us?
• We learn them as we interact with others, who
have internalized cultural values and pass
them on to us
• We learn them through media and institutions
that reflect cultural values
• The institutions that organize our society
communicate them by the values they uphold
Other Perspectives of Self
• The self is multidimensional
• The self is a process
• Social perspectives are subject to change
 Socially constructed views
 Variable social views
Guidelines for Improving Self-Concept
• Make a firm commitment to personal growth
• Gain and use knowledge to support
personal growth
 You need to understand how your self-concept
is formed
 You need information about yourself
– Self-disclosure
Johari Window
Johari Window:
• Open area
• Blind area
• Hidden area
• Unknown area
Guidelines for Improving Self-Concept
• Set goals that are realistic and fair
• Seek contexts that support personal change
 Avoid self-sabotage