Perspectives on People's Personal Interpretations of Themselves

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The way that people perceive themselves and the environment around them is a key factor regarding their development and has incredible control over their personality and behaviors. Every individual develops different ways of interpreting their environment and social-cognitive theory calls these interpretations schemas, which can help understand the environment and form self-perceptions. Once self-perceptions are formed self-verification theory states that people will work to keep their self-perceptions consistent and predictable. Self-perception is a key factor in personality because it can affect people’s beliefs about themselves, their ability to set proper goals, and having a healthy evaluative standard. A study was done that shows how the brain of depressed individuals functions differently wen thinking about oneself than that of non-depressed individuals. Research has proven that individuals who have very negative self-schemas, often individuals who are depressed, will actively seek information that confirms their negative self-perception. Although it is unhealthy to receive negative feedback, it can also be unhealthy to receive information that contradicts someone’s current self-perception. The information that individuals interpret about themselves is what forms self-perception and that perception will influence both their personality and behaviors.
Self-referent beliefs are central to personality functioning. The human mind contains schemas, which are knowledge structures that are used to make sense of the world around us (Cervone, 2013). According to self-verification, people are motivated to be known and understood according to their firm and consistent self-perception. “Once we have developed ways of thinking about ours...

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...es in an attempt to change their negative self-perception and in turn allowing them to begin seeking positive feedback and living a happier life. The observations that people make about the environment and society around them have an enormous impact on the way humans both think and behave.

Works Cited

Cassidy, J. C. (2003). Feedback seeking in children and adolescents: Associations with self-perceptions, attachment representations, and depression. Child Development, 72(2), 612-628. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3696334

Cervone, D. (2013). Personality theory and research. (12 ed., Vol. 1, pp. 427-467).
New Aster: Wiley. DOI: Class Book

Kinderman, P. K. (2013, November 6). Personal reflection triggers increased brain activity during depressive episodes. Science Daily. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131106101620.htm

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