Ideas Surrounding the Concept of Self Esteem, Reducing Prejudice, Attraction, and Close Relationships - Essay Example

Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : xxxxxxxxxxx Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx Course : xxxxxxxxxxx @2010 Introduction A learning journal can be described as a reflective intellectual record that explains and describes an individual’s learning progress and personal growth during a particular course. It contains a variety of entries such as discussions, workshops, class sessions and meetings (Jennifer 1999).One of the basic reason as to why it is vital for me to complete a learning journal as part my study of social psychology is that it gives me a chance to write about the content of the course in a more self –expressive and personal manner as opposed other coursework activities. From the assignment, I intend to upgrade my skills of reflective thinking which will improve my critical thinking skill an aspect that is very useful in the synthesis, analysis and evaluation of facts in social psychology. Topic one In the topic of self identity, the aspect that interested me most is that of ‘’self esteem.’’ This is majorly because I believe that the appraisal and evaluation of an individual’s own worth (or how one perceives himself/herself) is a fundamental aspect in the construction of self identity. Bradberry, (2007) highlights that the identity of an individual is in most cases embedded on their identifications, or basically what the individual perceives herself/ himself with to be. One of the main ideas surrounding the concept of self esteem is that it gives a description of how effectively an individual is in control of their lives (Thomas 2006). What came up on my mind while studying the concept of self esteem was that every rational individual at one point experiences a desire of being in control of their lives. As a result self esteem is a vital element of measuring how much control an individual has over their lives (Kopano& Norman 2004).For instance a person with low self esteem has low expectations about themselves as a result they will generally not strive to alter their lives even is situations whereby they are in great suffering. On other hand a person with high self esteem is more ambitious and in control of their lives. Another significant idea related to the aspect of self esteem is that it is a basic need. Evidence to back this fact is given by Abraham Maslow’s theory of human motivation. Maslow argues that people posses various versions of esteem needs; those that are lower require the respect of others, through fame, recognition, status and attention while those that are higher are derived from self respect. Maslow noted that the deprivation of the self esteem as a basic need may result to weakness and inferiority complex (Maslow 1943). Another concept is that self esteem has great influence on personality (Santrock 2008). How I perceive myself influences the dynamics of my behavior, motivation and thoughts which differentiates me from other individuals. One of the famous quotes related to the concept of self esteem was given by Maxwell Maltz an American doctor and Inspirational author when he stated that “Low self-esteem is like driving through life with your hand-break on”(Maxwell, 1969). Self esteem is an aspect that is very relevant to my social life because the manner in which I think about myself sets standards on how other people treat me. It is evident that no man is an Island as a result social interaction is very essential for the growth and development of any human being; therefore as I relate to others it is vital that the manner in which I present myself before them is a reflection of what I believe I am. Marilynn& Miles (2004) also highlights that people with high self esteem or a healthy self esteem usually choose healthy relationships as a result I believe that through realization of how to develop and maintain high self esteem, I am able to have a social life that is grounded on social relationships that useful and meaningful to my life or rather those that do not result from low self esteem thus making me a person ‘’driving though life with my hand-break on’’as stated by Maxwell Maltz. Topic 2 In the prejudice and discrimination topic, the aspect that interested me most is that of working to reduce prejudice. The topic interested me because I usually wonder why prejudice is an attitude that is internal to an individual however many express it through their behaviour. The big question I had on the topic was on the effective strategies that can work towards the reduction of prejudice. Walter & Cookie (2000) bring to light one main idea behind the notion of working to reduce prejudice. The two authors argue that the process of reducing prejudice can mostly be successful in a situation whereby minority and majority people interact through engaging in truthful and open discussions, they can also formulate personal relationships and also develop personal commitment which can enhance the reduction of such an attitude. Some of the effective strategies of reduction of prejudice proposed by various scholars include the contact hypothesis or the intergroup contact. Thomas and Linda (2000) highlights that intergroup contact is an effective method of prejudice reduction, if people from different groups interact in an environment where there is need for interdependence, then both groups are bound to get used to each other , understand each other better and enhance their relationship thus reducing prejudice. The evidence to prove the practicability of intergroup contact can be found within the school environment were contact between groups is usually frequent as opposed to being just casual as a result prejudice is reduced with increased interaction. Persuasive communication is another effective method of prejudice reduction. Maxwell, (1969) defines persuasive communication as any form of communication verbal, visual or written that is specifically intended for the purpose of influencing attitudes. Maxwell, (1969) further highlights that the success of persuasive communication in the reduction of prejudice depends upon various variables such as ; the message must be easily understood, the recipient should have a positive view of the message and the person giving the message should be well equipped and not have any level of biasness. Another practical method of reducing prejudice is through education. Education is not similar to persuasive communication because it is not all about attitude change but rather impacting of knowledge. (William2009). It is essential to develop a participative environment in order for learners to feel that they are part of the process. Another essential strategy is the use of simulation exercise which is useful in providing people with real life experience of prejudice in order for them to have a realistic feel of the feelings that are attained after being discriminated against (Gordon 1954). One common quote on prejudice was given by Edward Roscoe Murrow (1955). He stated that ‘’everyone is a prisoner of his own experiences.  No one can eliminate prejudices - just recognize them’’.  However in my opinion I believe that through the right kind of conditioning by the strategies highlighted above people can be able to reduce prejudice. Learning about strategies of reducing prejudice is useful to my social life because I have come to a realization that each an every individual should be treated fairly and not discriminated due to the fact that they belong to a certain group. As a result I realize that if I eliminate a prejudice view points against certain individuals, it is possible for me to expand my social ties, have more friends who can give me an opportunity of developing a desirable attitude for every member of the society. Topic 3 In the topic ‘’ Attraction and close relationships’’, the topic that interested me most was that of “When relationships go wrong”. This is essentially because many people usually have difficulty of moving on when relationships do not work. The main idea related to this particular aspect is linked to the concept of self esteem. Self esteem greatly influences the ability of an individual to have capacity to move on when a relationship ends or goes wrong (Eliot &Diane 2000). In many incidences we find that one party finds it difficult to get over the other partner and the result is that the individual begin to question their self esteem. One may begin to wonder if there was something wrong with them, they may question their physical appearance or also personality. Leary& Tangney,(2002) highlights that during a period of conflict or breaking up in a relationship, it is essential to effectively evaluate what the cause of the problem was and try as much as possible to avoid an occurrence of another hurtful experience,essentialy because blaming once self will not solve the problem. Another aspect in relationships is that conflict is a factor that is inevitable in any particular relationship. (Mark 2009). Relationships have a lifecycle which begins with attraction, romantic relating, and growth through negotiation, Intimacy and commitment. As two people relate they are bound to encounter conflicting situations which test their level of commitment. Sarah, (2009) highlights that; conflict is a vital element for a healthy relationship. Some of the major reasons of conflict in relationships include deprivation of psychological support , lack of intimacy and openness , lack of passion and romance and the yearning for autonomy .Wyndol etal (1999) gave one meaningful quote concerning relationships ‘’If it was all fun all the time, what's wrong? And if it's all bad all the time, something's wrong’’ This quote is basically useful in understanding the basis of a good relationship and it further gives a reflective perspective for individual whose relationships have gone sore. The content I learnt about the aspect of when relationships go wrong is of great influence to my social life in that I have learnt to understand that at one point or another relationships can indeed go wrong as a result it is important have a well positioned self esteem that can facilitate dealing with the hardship of such a circumstance. I realize that just because a certain individual did not reciprocate my feelings towards them does not imply that I am unlovable. My self esteem should not be grounded on the types of relationships I have but rather the acceptance of who I am as an Individual which is a vital element of assisting me in dealing with challenging circumstances in relationships. Secondly I believe that my social interaction has been improved because I have learnt about the major causes of challenges in relationships as result I think I am well equipped in terms identification of relationship challenges and the strategies of resolving the various problems that face relationships. Conclusion The writing of this journal has been of great value to my social psychology learning. This is essentially because I have been able to reflect and evaluate topics taught during the course using my own view point and those of various authors which has assisted me to develop critical thinking, higher levels of learning which include evaluation, synthesis and analysis. One of the strengths of my journal is that there is integration of concepts I read and learnt in class and those of other scholars, which implies that my journal is not subjective but it is rather all rounded. The weakness of my journal is that it is does not provide lot’s of contextual evidence to back my ideas. However I can state that from the assignment I was able to get what I hoped to attain which is personal growth. Bibliography Bradberry, T, 2007, Self-Awareness. New York, Putnam. Eliot R &Diane , M,2000, Social psychology, Psychology Press, 2000 Edward, M , 1955, Retrieved Gordon, W, 1954, The Nature of Prejudice, Addison-Wesley, 1954. Johnson, W& Roger , 2000, "The Three Cs of Reducing Prejudice and Discrimination." Reducing Prejudice and Discrimination. Jennifer A, 1999, Learning journals: a handbook for academics, students and professional development, Routledge. Frankl, V, 1963,   Man's search for meaning:  An introduction to logotherapy, New York, Washington Square Press. Kopano, R& Norman, D, 2004, Social psychology: identities and relationships. Juta and Company Ltd. Leary, M & Tangney,J, 2002, Handbook of self and identity, New York, Guilford Press.   Maxwell, M, 1969,Creative Living for Today, Simon & Schuster Publisher. Michele A& Ludwin, M, 2000, “Moderators and Mediators of Prejudice Reduction in Multicultural Education." . Mark , P, 2009, Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Academic Press Maslow, A, 1943 , A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review .370-96 Marilynn, B& Miles, H, 2004, Applied social psychology Perspectives on social psychology Wiley-Blackwell. Santrock, J, 2008, The Self, Identity, and Personality. A Topical Approach to Life-Span Development. Sarah ,M, 2009, Know the Facts about Relationships, The Rosen Publishing Group. Thomas, G, 2006, Social psychology, Norton. Thomas, F &Linda R. 2000, "Does Intergroup Contact Reduce Prejudice? Recent Meta-analytical Findings." Reducing Prejudice and Discrimination. Walter, G& Cookie, W, 2000, “An Integrated Threat Theory of Prejudice." Reducing Prejudice and Discrimination. Wyndol, F, etal, 1999, The development of romantic relationships in adolescence, Cambridge studies in social and emotional development William, M, 2009, An Introduction to Social Psychology, Bazaar. Read More