The Sources and Origins of Self-Knowledge

The Looking-Glass Self and How Others Affect Self-Perception

Jun 16, 2009

How does one attain knowledge about the self? How does one form an essential or core identity? What are some factors that influence one's self-perception?

A lot of one’s knowledge about the self comes from socialization, the way a social environment, parents, teachers and friends treat and interact with an individual. However, it is also related to any other activities one may undertake, including religious, ethnic and cultural activities that come to reflect the person's identity. All of this information may then be internalized and become an important part of the self-concept.

The Looking-Glass Self, Reflected Appraisals and the Impact on Self-Image

The way other people react and its influence on the self is often referred to as the concept of the “looking-glass self."

People in these cases perceive themselves as others perceive and respond to them, what social psychologists call “reflected appraisals.” It can have both positive and negative impacts on how one sees and relates to oneself and influences one’s self-image.

Constant Feedback During Childhood and Adolescence and the Self

Another example of getting knowledge about oneself is through feedback. It starts during childhood, where parents give constant feedback about one’s strengths and weaknesses. For example, one comes to internalize good and bad qualities, such as being "good" at languages and "not being much" of an athlete. In fact, there is a strong relationship between parents’ perception of their children’s abilities and the self-concept that the child holds.

Later, one relies more heavily upon the opinions and the perceptions of one’s peers who become an important part and source of information in the life of a teenager. There are occasions of direct feedback during adolescence when one has many dates or ends up being turned down by various potential mates. Even teachers provide direct feedback whether through comments or in the form of grades.

Objective Feedback over Personal Opinion

Research has demonstrated that people prefer to have objective feedback about their performance and their personal characteristics. It is seen as more balanced, more just and less biased than personal opinion. Nonetheless, one comes to rely on the opinion of others and especially when there is a large overlap or agreement among people, one comes to believe that those particular opinions may be valid. It's at this point that one internalizes those opinions; they become part of one’s self-concept.

There are various ways one gets knowledge about oneself, and many of them happen within a social context, whether through socialization, the participation in different activities or through feedback where people comment on one’s abilities or lack thereof. All of these factors influence self-perception of how one sees and defines oneself as an individual.