3-055 - The Developing Self: New Findings on its Social Origins and Functions

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Children are born into this world without knowing who they are. How do children construct their self-views? And what implications do these self-views have for children’s well-being? Adopting a social-cognitive perspective (Olson & Dweck, 2008), this symposium reveals that the origins and functions of children’s self-views are deeply social in nature.

First, we show that children have the cognitive architecture to form self-views based on social experiences. Study 1 shows that when children learn a same-sex peer is considered a “striver” (versus a “natural”), they feel less self-efficacious and, consequently, lose interest in a new task. Study 2 shows that adolescents feel worse about themselves and less likable after receiving few (versus many) likes on social media.

Second, we show that, once formed, self-views serve as a roadmap for social interactions. Study 3 reports that narcissistic children radiate an image to their peers that they are true leaders, even when they are not actually benefiting the group process. Study 4 shows that self-esteem has different implications for older versus younger children’s reactions to failure and social rejection, consistent with theoretical social and cognitive prerequisites for forming mature self-esteem.

Together, these studies reveal the potential of a social-cognitive developmental perspective on self-views. They inform our understanding of the specific social cues that shape developing self-views, as well as nuances in how self-views shape social behavior and protect children from negative social experiences. These findings pave the way for interventions to cultivate healthy self-views from a young age.

Sub Unit

• Social, Emotional, Personality

Chairs

• Michelle A Harris, The University of Texas at Austin

• Eddie Brummelman, University of Amsterdam

Individual Presentations

• Are You a Natural or a Striver? Ability Stereotypes Shape Young Children’s Self-Efficacy and Interest - Presenting Author: Jilana S. Boston, New York University; Non-Presenting Author: Andrei Cimpian, New York University

• Insufficient Likes on Social Media Elicit Negative Self-Referent Cognitions and Emotions During Adolescence - Presenting Author: Hae Yeon Lee, University of Texas at Austin; Non-Presenting Author: Jeremy P. Jamieson, University of Rochester; Non-Presenting Author: Harry T. Reis, University of Rochester; Non-Presenting Author: Christopher G. Beevers, University of Texas at Austin; Non-Presenting Author: Robert A. Josephs, University of Texas at Austin; Non-Presenting Author: Michael C Mullarkey, The University of Texas at Austin; Non-Presenting Author: Joseph Michael O'Brien, University of Texas at Austin; Non-Presenting Author: David S. Yeager, University of Texas at Austin

• Narcissistic Leadership in Children - Presenting Author: Eddie Brummelman, University of Amsterdam; Non-Presenting Author: Barbara Nevicka, University of Amsterdam

• Testing for Developmental Differences in the Function of Self-Esteem Between Early and Middle Childhood - Presenting Author: Michelle A Harris, The University of Texas at Austin