Reflection 13

After having read both articles Hamachek and self concept and self esteem, I would say that that they are both correct and give a deeper look to a person’s self being. In Hamachek, the article talks about how as we get older, the way we look at ourselves have more depth. If you ask a child of seven years to describe himself/herself, that child will only give you a response that one can see with their eyes. They may talk about their physical appearance, their friends and family. Now ask an older person the same question. They will go more into depth with their answer talking about their beliefs, values, goals etc. The reason being is because as a person gets older they learn more about themselves and their surroundings. You hear it almost every day when a student in high school is asked what their future plans are. Some reply without a minutes haste but the majority are still indecisive. This is what I gathered from this reading. I am twenty three years old and it was not until recently that I finally stuck with a major and sometimes I still feel that I should continue to search for my “true calling.” This is a normal part of being. As we continue to define ourselves and expand our interests, our personality begins to develop. We begin to perceive ourselves and others based on what have grown to like and dislike. In the section of self concept and self esteem, it explains how we feel about ourselves based on our own insight as well as our interaction with others. Self concept comes from our interactions since birth ranging from both physical and environmental surroundings. An example of self concept would be when a child calls themselves lazy. An experience had to have occurred in order for this child to think that way. The child may also have heard it been said by the people they know. I believe that self concept can change by making new positive experiences. Self esteem is a product of self concept. It is the way a person feels about themselves because of our self concepts. A woman who is being abused in her relationship may at first refuse to admit that she is involved with an abusive man. She may not see herself as a battered woman until she is finally freed of the violence. The outcome of this can be that the woman will have low self esteem and it may take some time for that woman to ever trust a man or even want to get into a relationship. Self concept and self esteem are very similar. In order to have a healthy self esteem level, one should surround themselves around positive experiences and perceive themselves in a positive outlook.