A quick overview on theories on the development of the Self and the concept of the Self: The theories are grouped by their approach strategy and how they present their constructs, rather than any single one theory of the self per se.
Fostering Friendships - Enhancing Social Bonds in the Classroom
Stages or layers? Looking at the Development of the Self
1. STAGES OR LAYERS?
LOOKING AT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
SELF FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES
Tanya Maria Geritsidou
The American College of Greece
2. OUTLINE
Definitions of the Self
The Self in Cognitive-Developmental
Theories
The Rouge Test
The Awareness of Self
Developmental Approaches: Stage Theory
Developmental Approaches: Layers Theory
Looking at Six Interviews about the Self
References
3. WHAT IS THE SELF?
Model of the Self derived by William James
“Me” : Involves relatively objective material,
social and spiritual characteristics (social and
material self)
“I”: Involves subjective experiential features such
as
Life history and experience
Continuation over time
Pure ego
4. WHAT IS THE SELF?
Concepts of the Self by Winnicott
True Self
The experience of being alive (simply being)
Spontaneous, non-verbal gestures
False Self
Other people’s expectations overriding the True Self
Behaviors and relationships that lack spontaneity and
sincerity that the True Self does
5. THE SELF IN COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL THEORIES
Cognitive-developmental theories focus on the
quality, rate and general manner of change
in the thinking processes of human beings.
How human beings develop self-awareness
and self-concept(s) is studied through either
stage theories, such as Piaget’s, or (rather
recently) layer theories (such as Rochat’s).
6. THE ROUGE TEST
Also called “the mirror mark test”, it is used to
determine when infants have developed self
awareness:
(it is more fun to watch)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2I0kwSua
44
7. SELF AWARENESS VS SELF CONSCIOUSNESS
SELF AWARENESS
When the individual
can examine
him/herself from the
point of view of
someone other than
him/herself
SELF CONSCIOUSNESS
Can only occur after
achieving self
awareness
Involves all
understanding about
the self and is the basis
for identity development
8. STAGE THEORIES
Stage theories assume that development
occurs in a mostly linear progression.
Each stage has to be completed before the
person is ready to proceed to the next one.
Piaget’s Theory
Of
Cognitive
Development
Damon & Hart’s
Model of
Self Understanding
with 7 schemes
Allport’s 8 Stages
Of
Self -Development
9. PIAGET’S STAGE THEORY AND THE SELF
Sensorimotor Stage (0–2 yrs old)
No self-awareness until object permanence begins (12
m/o)
Preoperational Stage (2–6/7 yrs old)
Self-awareness + object permanence = egocentrism
Concrete Operations Stage (6/7–11/12 yrs old)
Self-awareness and Self-consciousness
Formal Operations Stage (11/12 + yrs old)
Self-awareness and self-consciousness with more
abstract thought and ideas and categorizations involved
10. DAMON & HART’S 7 SCHEMES OF SELF UNDERSTANDING
4 Levels
L1: Categorical
identifications (early
childhood)
L2: Comparative
Assessments (middle to late
childhood)
L3: Interpersonal
Implications of the self
(early adolescence)
L4: Systematic beliefs,
principles and plans (late
adolescensce +)
7 Schemes
Physical self
Active self
Social self
Psychological self
Continuity of self
Distinctness of self
Agency of self
11. ALLPORT’S EIGHT STAGES OF SELF DEVELOPMENT
Sense of Bodily Self (0-2 yrs old)
Bodily sensations and physical senses as the beginning of self awareness
Sense of Self Identity (0-2 yrs old)
Acquisition of self awareness in parallel with the acquisition of language
Sense of Self Esteem or Pride (2-4 yrs old)
Beginnings of need for praise and credit and self evaluation
Sense of Self Extension (4-6 yrs old)
Beginnings of identifying with other individuals, groups and items than the self proper/
the body
12. ALLPORT’S EIGHT STAGES OF SELF DEVELOPMENT
Self Image (4-6 yrs old)
Beginnings of the “looking glass self” and other aspects of identity, such as sexual
identity and social identity
Sense of Self as a Rational Coper (6-12 yrs old)
Beginnings of awareness of life’s problem solving and coping strategies
Propriate Striving (12+ yrs old)
Life goal setting and aspirations/expectations begin
Self as a Knower (12+ yrs old)
Moral thinking, political thinking and abstract problem solving
13. ROCHAT’S LAYER THEORY OF THE SELF
From a biologically given core, layers of
awareness are added in a cumulative fashion
Each layer expands the experiential range of
the child
No equilibration takes place, no restructuring
or change of pre-existing layers with the
development of a new one
Each layer adds on to whatever already
exists
14. ROCHAT’S LAYER THEORY OF THE SELF
A new layer adds new pathways to navigate
and experience the self and the experience
of the self
Each layer becomes a zone of awareness.
We navigate between layers depending on
our state of mind and focus (attention),
throughout our life (even the before the
Rouge Test layers!)
Our attention/ focus to each layer depends
on our state of consciousness (poly-
awareness)
15. ROCHAT’S LAYER THEORY OF THE SELF
1. Starting state (differentiating the self from the world
via rooting) birth+
2. Situated self awareness (capable of mapping own
body space) 2 m/o+
3. Birth of “Me” (perception of self via actions, since
birth and via Rouge Test at 2 yrs+)
4. Birth of “Me” extending over time (recognizing self
as enduring over time, rather than a third party) 3
yrs+
5. Meta-cognitive Self knowledge (hold multiple
representations and perspectives on objects and
people) 6 yrs+
17. MARY, AGE 5
Upon being asked if she wanted to describe
herself, she said ‘no’ after a bit of thought.
Upon being asked if she wanted to draw
herself, she said ‘yes’ and produced two
versions of herself, one naked and one with
clothes:
19. MARY, AGE 5
She described herself by physical
characteristics.
She couldn’t describe her personality with
character traits. She characteristically said
that she chose her friend because she’s
“cute” and that her friend likes her because
she is “tall”
Ideal self would be “a princess” because she
would have long hair and glossy dresses and
no mother
20. MARY, AGE 5
Likes and dislikes about herself were described
only in terms of activities: “I can swim fast” “my
mom doesn’t let me swim in the sea at winter”
She expected herself to change in 5 years
because “I will be 6 years old then and I’ll be
able to read”
But she said her self wouldn’t change because
she had a name and her name was Mary
She became who she was because her dad
picked the name Mary for her
21. MARY, AGE 5
Stage Theory
Piaget: Self
awareness,
egocentrism, Self
permanence
Damon & Hart:
Categorical
Identifications
Allport: Pride, Self
Image (‘looking glass
self’)
Layer Theory
Birth of “Me”
(perception of self via
actions)
Birth of “Me” extending
over time (perception
that the self endures
over time)
Awareness
Co-awareness
22. BOB, AGE 6
Wanted to talk rather than draw, described himself in
terms of physical characteristics and what clothes he
was wearing
Described his personality as “polite” and “sad when
kids make fun of me” but kept reverting to physical
characteristics
When asked how I would be able to tell him apart
from an identically looking boy, he answered “I would
wear different clothes”
When asked how I would be able to tell him apart
from an identically looking boy with identical clothes
he was stuck, and finally answered “maybe my bones
would be different?” (he added “mine would be
striped”)
23. BOB, AGE 6
He kept thinking of himself in
physical/categorical terms (wanting to
change his eye colour, being proud of his
clothing)
When asked if he would have changed in 5
years, he answered “no because I haven’t
changed now either”
When asked how he became who he is, he
also answered “I was baptized and became
Bob.”
24. BOB, AGE 6
Stage Theory
Piaget: Self
awareness, self
permanence, some
egocentrism
Damon & Hart:
Categorical
Identifications
Allport: Pride, Self
Image
Layer Theory
Birth of “Me” extending
over time
Awareness
Co-awareness
Some not yet
articulable self
knowledge
25. PEPI, AGE 9
Described herself in physical terms
Described her personality as “sensitive, I
laugh easily, I can wait for something if I have
to” but after saying ‘I don’t know’ a lot and
needing to be encouraged that she can’t
make a mistake
She voiced wishing to be able to perform
better
She expressed pride at being able to draw
well
She wants to become a fashion designer and
26. PEPI, AGE 9
She wished for everyone to be happy
She wished to not fight with her sister
She wished to have met her grandfather
She expected her self to have changed in 5
years because she “would be older” but said
her personality and physical characteristics
would be the same
She said she became who she is because
“that’s how I was brought up”
27. PEPI, AGE 9
Stage Theory
Piaget: Self awareness
and Self consciousness
and some abstract
thinking of values and
situations
Damon & Hart:
Comparative
Assessments and
Interpersonal
implications of the Self
Allport: Self Image and
Rational Coping
Layer Theory
Meta cognitive Self
Knowledge
28. MONA, AGE 11
She asked for qualifiers for the questions
before answering
Didn’t describe herself in physical terms, but
in terms of preference: “I like sports, music
and drawing”
She wished to be more popular and smarter
Her ideal self would be good at sports,
drawing and music, and she identified these
as her goals too
29. MONA, AGE 11
Her wishes were about belonging and
acceptance by her parents and her peers,
and finding friendship
She expects herself to change, but only in
terms of behavior due to different friends and
places. She expects her personality and
thoughts to remain the same
She became who she is by correcting things
she did wrong or ‘too much
30. MONA, AGE 11
Piaget: Formal Operations (self awareness
and consciousness with abstract ideas about
the world and her peers)
Damon & Hart: Interpersonal Implications of
the Self
Allport: Rational Coping Self
31. ANNA, AGE 15
Described herself only in terms of character
traits and goal orientation
Described herself in terms of her flaws and
her preferred hobbies, and specified herself
as “a good person”
Voiced some dissatisfaction with her physical
appearance
Wished to be loved by everyone, to be
adored and be very happy
32. ANNA, AGE 15
Specified goals: to pursue a degree (be a doctor or a
psychologist), to find the perfect man and “be at the
top tier of society in order to help people”
Wished for her family not to have quarrels, for the
people of the world to be happy and not wish for
anything
Voiced pride for managing to lose 15 kilos and
become “thin for my height” 6 months ago
She expected to change for the better because she
will be “adult and independent” and “able to control
how to live my life,” but her personality would remain
the same
She became who she is because “that’s how I was
born”
33. ANNA, AGE 15
Piaget: Formal Operations (abstract thoughts
and ideas about the self)
Damon & Hart: Systematic beliefs, Principles
and Plans
Allport: Propriate Striving & Self as Knower
34. SOPHIE, AGE 60
Described herself with some character traits but
mostly in relation to her goals and role in society
Didn’t voice a wish for change of self, but
change of her environment
Her ideal self and goal is “to approximate the
perfect human being” and when asked how that
is, said “like Jesus Christ” and elaborated “fully
free from material and social handicaps, attuned
with nature, attuned with people, fully in control
of himself”
35. SOPHIE, AGE 60
Character flaws were always in relation to how
efficiently she estimates she can reach her goal (“I
haven’t thrown off all dependencies with
others/society yet”)
Wishes were solely to achieve that goal and “help
people be free from social systems that keep them on
the basest levels of Maslow’s pyramid”
Pride was in relation to her progress towards her goal
Expected to be different in the future “because I’ll be
more evolved”
She became who she is “because I always had these
goals, of course not so well defined, but felt them
push me”
36. SOPHIE, AGE 60
Piaget: Formal Operations (abstract thoughts
and ideas about the self)
Damon & Hart: Systematic Beliefs, Principles
and Plans
Allport: Propriate Striving and Self as Knower
37. WHAT THIS EXERCISE TAUGHT ME:
Development of the concept of self is dynamic and ever changing as the
person interacts with the environment and the results of his/her own
cognitions.
To limit ourselves in any one theory, is to blind ourselves to aspects of the
Self itself, and its development across the ages within the human lifespan.
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