Theories of Self Concept Maintenance
Humanities
Researchers have examined several ways in which individuals actively maintain their sense of self in what can collectively be termed “self-concept maintenance” (Crisp and Turner, 2010, p. 10). Theories pertinent to self-concept maintenance include the control theory of self-regulation, self-discrepancy theory, social comparison theory, self-evaluation maintenance, social identity theory, and self-categorization theory. These theories share the assumption that individuals learn about themselves and their environment through self-comparison. People need to compare themselves with others in order to both know and evaluate their self and understand that these comparisons have a significant impact on individual behavior.
For this Assignment, review this week’s media program, Week 2: The Virtual Office,and evaluate the behavior of the women in the animation to determine which women exhibit narcissistic personality style and which women exhibit positive self-esteem.
The Assignment (5–6 pages)
- Select and describe one of the women in the media program exhibiting either positive self-esteem or narcissism.
- Compare the similarities and the differences of three theories of self-concept maintenance.
- Explain how each theory explains the behavior of the woman in the media program.
- Explain any insights you had or conclusions you drew based on your comparison.
- Be specific and use the Learning Resources and the current literature to support your response.
