Self-concept and perception in symbolic interaction theory

My self-concept is that I am a good friend and a good person. I try to set a good example for my friends and family on how a person should conduct oneself. I believe that civic duties are important and I believe that faith is also important, so I try to communicate both in my life. I also believe that it is important to be honest no matter what, even if it makes a person uncomfortable. Lies distort reality and lead to confusion and mistakes down the road. So it is better to be honest and forthright at all times. I also believe in dressing well and expressing my self-confidence in the manner in which I clothe myself. How we present ourselves publicly also reveals something about our self-concept (Baumeister, 1999; McLeod, 2008).

The role that self-concept plays in ethical communication is that I am able to be open and direct with people and to never mislead people my own thoughts or feelings. What I communicate to others is always meant to be the truth. If a choice must be made between pleasing someone and telling the truth, I tell the truth because I know that while the short-term impact may be unpleasant, the long-term impact will be positive. However, I always try to tell the truth in a way that can be taken as positive by the other person. In other words, even if I perceive that it is not what the other person wants to hear, I will try to frame it as positively as I can.

My self-concept is very positive. I have an upbeat image of myself and I do not project anything negative or depressing in my outward appearance and manner. I always try to reflect positive vibes and set a good mood in the environment I am in so that others can feel positive and supported as well. If I am around a negative person, I try extra hard to be positive and supportive because I feel that self-concepts can be contagious, so the more I am positive, the more I believe my positivity will rub off on others. I believe that I can ethically influence the self-concept of others this way: simply by being true to myself and making sure my own self-concept is always positive, I can lead by example and influence the self-concept of others by making reinforcing comments, supportive remarks, and positive communications to them that show that I support the good things in my perception of their self-concept.

The difference between self-concept and perception is self-concept is how we see ourselves and perception is how we see everything and everyone around us (Argyle, 2008). So while I cannot totally ever know another person’s self-concept, I can perceive it to the best of my ability by the clues that are being given by that person. An example of when my self-concept influenced my perception of someone was when my self-concept was much more depressed and self-pitying: I saw one of my co-workers as out to get me. This affected my communication with that person and I always tried to avoid talking to him. When I began to change my self-concept to be more positive, I began to see how silly I was being for perceiving my co-worker in such a negative light.

Two guidelines I have for improving perception and communication are: 1) always tell the truth, and 2) always be positive. I find that these two guidelines really help to facilitate communications as well as the formation of positive perceptions. It is easy to find fault with others; it is much harder to find good points and to promote them through supportive communications. I apply these guidelines in my life, for example, if a co-worker asks what I think about a project, I give my honest opinion, but I always give in it a way that is positive and supportive of the feelings of others. This helps to facilitate communication because it leaves the door open for responses from others. References Argyle, M. (2008). Social encounters: Contributions to social interaction. Aldine Transaction.

Baumeister, R. F. (1999). The self in social psychology. Philadelphia, PA: Psychology Press.

McLeod, S. A. (2008). Self Concept. Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/self-concept.html