1. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 1
Communication and Identity:
Creating and Presenting the Self
Chapter Summary
•Communication and the Self-Concept
•Biological and Social Roots of the self
•Characteristics of the Self-Concept
•Influences on Identity
•Presenting the Self
•Public and Private
•Characteristics of Identity Management

2. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 2
Communication and the
Self-Concept
The Self-Concept
•A relatively stable set of perceptions you hold about
yourself
•Not only your physical self but your emotional states, talents,
likes, dislikes, values roles, etc.
•Self-esteem
•Part of your self-concept
•Involves evaluation of self worth

3. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 3
Communication and the
Self-Concept
The Self-Concept
People who feel good about themselves will have
positive expectations about how they communicate
FIGURE 2.1
The Relationship between Self-Esteem and Communication Behavior
Page 43

4. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 4
Communication and the
Self-Concept
Biology and the Self
•Personality
•Tends to be stable throughout your life
•To a large degree is part of our genetic makeup
•Biology accounts for extroversion, shyness, assertiveness,
verbal aggression, and willingness to communicate
•Table 2.1 on page 44 shows five major personality traits

5. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 5
Communication and the
Self-Concept
Socialization and Self-Concept
•Reflected Appraisal
•Each of us develop a self-concept that reflects the way we
believe others see us
•Children are not born with a sense of identity
•Positive and negative evaluations become the mirror by
which we know ourselves
•Anyone whose opinion you value can leave an imprint

6. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 6
Communication and the
Self-Concept
Socialization and Self-Concept
•Social Comparison
•Evaluating our selves in terms of how we compare to others
•When comparing we decide if we’re Superior or
Inferior
•“Attractive or Ugly,” “Success or Failure,” “Intelligent or Stupid”
•These comparisons positively or negatively effect our self-
concept
•Social Comparison can be dangerous
•Reference groups play an important role

7. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 7
Communication and the
Self-Concept
Characteristics of Self-Concept
•The self-concept can be subjective
•A distorted self-evaluation occurs for several reasons
•Obsolete Information
•Distorted Feedback
•Emphasis on Perfection
•Social Expectations
•Self-esteem may be based on inaccurate thinking

8. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 8
Communication and the
Self-Concept
Characteristics of Self-Concept
•Cognitive Conservatism
•The tendency to seek and attend information that conforms
with an existing self-concept
•The self-concept is resistant to change
•Inaccurate self-concepts can lead to self-delusion and lack
of growth
•Inaccuracies are hard to maintain and lead to defensiveness
•Communicators are reluctant to downgrade a favorable
image

9. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 9
Communication and the
Self-Concept
Culture, Gender, and Identity
•Culture
•Individualist vs. Collectivist
•Self-concept is influenced by culture
•Different culturally influenced self-concepts can clash
•In collective societies there tends to be a higher degree of
communication

10. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 10
Communication and the
Self-Concept
Culture, Gender, and Identity
•Sex and gender
•Being male or female shapes the way people communicate
with you
•Pronouns with gender
•Boys focus on size, strength, and activity
•Girls focus on beauty and sweetness
•What happens when they switch?
•Self-esteem is influence by gender

11. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 11
Communication and the
Self-Concept
The Self-fulfilling Prophecy
The self-fulfilling prophecy occurs when a person’s expectation
of an event, and their subsequent behavior based on those
expectations, make the event more likely to occur
•The Four Stages
•Holding an expectation
•Behaving in accordance with that expectation
•The expectation coming to pass
•Reinforcing the original expectation

12. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 12
Communication and the
Self-Concept
Self-fulfilling Prophecies
•Self-imposed prophecies
•Your own expectations influence your behavior
•Thinking that you will fail
•“I’m going to screw this up” or “It’s not going to work”
•Prophecies imposed by others
•Others expectations influence your behavior
•All opinions you value can cause this prophecy
•Pygmalion in the Classroom

13. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 13
Communication and the Self-Concept
Changing your Self-concept
•Have a realistic perception of yourself
•Have realistic expectations
•Have the will to change
•Have the skill to change

14. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 14
Communication as Identity Management
Public and Private Selves
•Identity Management
•Each of us have a multitude of identities
•Perceived Self
•A reflection of the self-concept
•Presenting Self
•The way we want others to view us

15. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 15
Communication as Identity Management
Identity Management
•We strive to create multiple identities
•“Helping friend,” “joking office mate,” “loving child”
•Identity Management
•can be deliberate or unconscious
•is collaborative
•varies by situation
•People differ in their degree of identity management

16. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 16
Communication as Identity Management
Why We Manage Identities
•To start and manage relationships
•You may appear charming or confidant even if you’re not
•To gain compliance of others
•How you dress when you go to work or to traffic court
•To save others face
•You mask your discomfort to save another’s feelings

17. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 17
Communication as Identity Management
How Do We Manage Identities
•Face-to-face impression management
•Manner consists of words and non-verbal action
•A doctor will change their impression management depending
on which part of the examination he or she is conducting
•Appearance shapes impression
•Clothing, Tattoos, Jewelry, etc.
•Setting also influences how others may view us

18. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 18
Communication as Identity Management
•Computer-Mediated Communication
•Slight limitations over other communication
channels
•More control over managing your identity
•CMC also gives individuals the ability to
broadcast their identity in a way traditional
communication can’t
•MySpace, FaceBook, and Friendster

19. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 19
Communication as Identity Management
Identity Management and Honesty
•Some manage identity dishonestly
•Misrepresenting yourself to a date
•Job applicants who lie about academic records
•Salespeople who pretend to be dedicated to customer
service
• Managing identity does not make you a liar
•Although it might seem manipulative it is authentic
communication
•Can you imagine not managing your identities?

20. Looking Out, Looking In
12th
EditionChapter 2 20
Communication and Identity:
Creating and Presenting the Self
Chapter Summary
•Communication and the Self-Concept
•Biological and Social Roots of the self
•Characteristics of the Self-Concept
•Influences on Identity
•Presenting the Self
•Public and Private
•Characteristics of Identity Management