Who Am I? What Makes “Me” me?

May 10,2025

What is self-perception? Self-perception refers to the way an individual views themselves, encompassing their internal feelings and understanding of their characteristics. It involves a personal and subjective understanding of oneself, rather than external perceptions from others. The person has a picture of who they are. This perception influences attitudes, behavior and overall sense of self.

Why is self-perception important? It is important for understanding how individuals think, behave, and relate to others. According to a 2022 published study, it is understood that self-perception includes those internally conscious and organized concepts that the individual has about oneself.

There are other words for self-perception, such as self-image, self-concept, introspection, self-awareness, self-examination, and self-reflection. These terms also relate to how a person perceives themselves, their abilities, and place in the world.  In today’s blog, I will focus on self-perception and self-concept.

Self-concept is what you believe defines you as a person. It answers the “Who Am I?” question. It involves everything about you, from your morals and everyday behaviors to your talents, hobbies, and beliefs. Self-concept is a critical component of identity development.

What is the difference between self-concept vs. self-esteem? Self-concept and self-esteem are related, according to the Aster Mental Health website, yet they are distinct ideas in psychology. Self-concept is a broader term that encompasses the entirety of an individual’s beliefs about themselves, including their traits, behaviors, and overall identity. Whereas, self-esteem refers to the evaluative and affective aspect of self-concept. It is the judgment and emotional reaction a person has towards themselves. Self-esteem relates to how much a person likes or values themselves. I am going touch part on that in another blog post.

According to humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers, there are three parts of self-concept:

• Ideal self – your vision and ambitions of who you want to be.
• Real self (self-image) – how you currently see and perceive yourself.
• Self-esteem – how much worth and value you believe you have.

Carl Rogers was an American psychologist who was one of the founders of humanistic psychology. Rogers’ main theory was that people have an innate desire for personal growth and self-actualization. He believed that people have an inherent tendency to realize their full potential when supported by an environment that provides unconditional positive regard. Rogers’ work transformed psychotherapy.

As I delved further into the concept of self-perception, I learned many things, too many to fit into this one blog post. One key theory that I came upon is the self-perception theory. It is an important concept in psychology.  It was first introduced in the 1960’s by a social psychologist named Daryl J. Bem at Cornell University. It asserts that people develop their attitudes (when there is no previous attitude due to a lack of experience, etc.—and the emotional response is ambiguous) by observing their own behavior and concluding what attitudes must have caused it.

Initially, Bern’s theory was seen by some as a concept that challenged cognitive dissonance. However, further research that built upon Bem’s work has concluded that the self-perception theory and cognitive dissonance do indeed have different applications. The critical difference is that self-perception theory relates to situations where an individual’s attitude is ambiguous or weak. Since the 1960s, there have been other numerous studies conducted by psychologists that support the self-perception theory, demonstrating that emotions do follow behaviors. 

Bem outlined the key ideas for his theory:

• Inference from behavior
• Ambiguous internal cues
• Attitude formation
• Behavioral cues as evidence
• Lack of prior attitude

“Individuals come to know their own attitudes, emotions, and other internal states,”  wrote Bem, “partially by inferring them from observations of their own overt behavior and/or the circumstances in which the behavior occurs.”

The Decision Lab shared the basic idea of Self-Perception Theory as, “We typically view the interaction between attitudes and behaviors as a causal sequence that progresses linearly from attitude to behavior. We might have an attitude towards work ethic, for example, which would translate into some behavior, like working overtime to get the job done.”

What influences our self-perceptions? Other people can influence our self-concept and self-esteem, but there more important systemic forces on our self-perception have the most influence, wrote Tammera Stokes Rice. Influences include social and family influences, culture, and media. Each play a role in shaping who we think we are and how we feel about ourselves.

As a newborn, we are a blank slate. Parents and peers shape our self-perceptions in positive and negative ways. Feedback that we get from significant others can lead to perceptions of self. As we grow, those influences can change. The way that you perceive yourself impacts all arenas of your life. In general, we strive to present a public image that matches our self-perception or self-concept. Take the time, get out a journal, and write down answers to the following:

• Make a list of characteristics that you think describe who you are.
• Name one positive and one negative influence that had your self-perception.

“From the start, our environment shapes who we are. We don’t always see it, but we are similarly influenced by what the people around us believe.”
― C.B. Lansdell, Far Removed

Resources:

Image retrieved on 5/10/2025 from <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/portrait-woman-with-low-self-esteem_36305570.htm”>Image by pikisuperstar on Freepik</a>

Aster Mental Health. “What is Self-concept in Psychology?” Retrieved on 5/4/2025 from https://www.astermentalhealth.com/what-is-self-concept-in-psychology/#:~:text=Different%20cultures%20emphasize%20different%20aspects,to%20which%20individuals%20compare%20themselves.

Bem, Daryl J. “Self-Perception: An Alternative Interpretation of Cognitive Dissonance Phenomena.” Carnegie Institute of Technology. Psychological Review. 1967, vol. 74, No.3, 183-200. Retrieved on 5/4/2025 from https://web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/15341_Readings/Motivation/Bem_1967_Self_perception.pdf

Bem, Daryl J. “Self Perception Theory.” Advance in Experimental Social Psychology, vol. 6. 1972. Academic Press, Inc. New  York. Retrieved on 5/4/2025 from http://www.communicationcache.com/uploads/1/0/8/8/10887248/self-perception_theory.pdf

The Decision Lab.”Self Perception Theory”. Retrieved on 5/4/2025 from https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/psychology/self-perception-theory

McLeod, PhD, Saul. “Contribution to Psychology,” Retrieved on 5/4/2025 from https://www.simplypsychology.org/carl-rogers.html#:~:text=Carl%20Rogers’%20humanistic%20theory%20focuses,that%20provides%20unconditional%20positive%20regard.

Palenzuela-Luis N, Duarte-Clíments G, Gómez-Salgado J, Rodríguez-Gómez JÁ, Sánchez-Gómez MB. International Comparison of Self-Concept, Self-Perception and Lifestyle in Adolescents: A Systematic Review. Int J Public Health. 2022 Sep 29;67:1604954. doi: 10.3389/ijph.2022.1604954. PMID: 36250150; PMCID: PMC9556634. Retrieved on 5/4/2025 from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9556634/#:~:text=Finally%2C%20self%2Dperception%20is%20important,individual%20has%20about%20him%2Fherself.

Psych Central.”The Makeup and Theories of Self Concept.” Retrieved on 5/4/2025 from https://psychcentral.com/health/self-concept

Social Science Explainer. “Self-Perception Theory.” Retrieved on 5/4/2025 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrtNaguKM68

“Study.com “Self-Perception Theory: Definition and Examples.” Psychology 104: Social Psychology. Retrieved on 5/4/2025 from https://study.com/academy/lesson/self-perception-theory-definition-and-examples.

“Self-perception” theory”. Retrieved on 5/4/2025 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-perception_theory#:~:text=Self-perception%20theory Stokes Rice, Tammera. College of the Canyons. “3.5 Influence on Self-Perception.” Retrieved on 5/4/2025 from https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Courses/College_of_the_Canyons/COMS_100%3A_Process_of_Communication_(Stokes-Rice)/03%3A_Perceiving_and_Understanding/3.05%3A_Influences_on_Self-Perception