When selves collide: The nature of the self and the dynamics of interpersonal relationships.

Abstract

The theorists who first discussed self processes from psychological perspectives viewed the self as firmly rooted in interpersonal interactions and relationships. From James's (1890) discussion of the social me to Cooley's (1902) concept of the looking glass self to Mead's (1934) analysis of self and perspective-taking, early writers saw that the capacity for self-reflexive thought was intimately involved in how people relate to one another. Although later researchers did not deny the interpersonal aspects of the self, the focus of most theory and research during the 20th century was primarily on the self as a cognitive entity that structures perceptions, motivates behaviors (e.g., in a quest for self-esteem or self-consistent information), and guides decisions and actions. Thus, concepts such as self-schema, selfefficacy, self-consistency, self-regulation, and self-enhancement dominated discussions of the self. In the past decade, however, theorists and researchers have refocused attention on the relational aspects of the self: how the self arises from social interaction and then plays an important role in influencing how people negotiate the complexities of social life.

Moral emotions: A review and research agenda for management scholarship

“…Individuals experience self‐condemning moral emotions when they violate moral standards (Leary, ; Leary & Miller, ), thus underscoring the individual's moral failings (Gruenewald, Dickerson, & Kemeny, ). The two primary self‐condemning moral emotions are shame and guilt .…”

Mountains Out of Molehills? Tests of the Mediating Effects of Self-Esteem in Predicting Workplace Complaining1

“…Similarly, in line with cognitive theory, complaining may be viewed as a means by which individuals bring their influence to bear on events that affect how they live their lives (Leary, 2002). According to the literature on organizational citizenship, poor sports are individuals who tend to complain because they are unwilling "to sacrifice their personal interest for the good of the organization" (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Paine, & Bachrach, 2000, p. 5 17).…”

The Meaning of Summer Camp Experiences to Youths with Disabilities

“…These authors suggested the avoidance of disability peer models may be later linked to anxiety and maladaptive behaviors as the gap between the socially constructed ideal image and the real self-image becomes evident. The social identity of these youth with the larger social structure of mainstream society reflects the pressure they encounter to fit in and sustain a social role or membership reflective of the mainstream group (Cote & Levine, 2002;Leary, 2002).…”

“…Pensgaard and Sorensen (2002) highlighted the importance of contexts that bring persons with disabilities together, "An empowered group or organization is characterized by a high degree of participation of individuals in decision-making processes, identification with other group members, social support, and sharing of information, knowledge, and collective resources" (p. 57). Through the process of self-categorization that accompanies feelings of belonging to a socially relevant group comes differential treatment to those they identify with the group (Leary, 2002). The more a person identifies with another, the easier it becomes to empathize with other members of the same group.…”