CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR S.C. TEACHER CADET COURSE | EXPERIENCING EDUCATION, TENTH EDITION
Dr. William Purkey’s Overview of Self-Concept Theory
Self-concept may be defined as the totality of a complex and dynamic system of learned beliefs which
each individual holds to be true about his or her personal existence and which gives consistency to
his or her personality. The following propositions explain this definition.
1. One’s self-concept can be inferred from certain behaviors, but it may be different from
what an individual is willing and able or can be tricked or forced into stating about
himself.
2. Central to how one sees himself is his individual self-concept. Objects and situations
are seen in relation to one’s self-concept.
3. Self-concept is at the very heart of human personality. No two people have the same
personality, and no two have the same self-concept.
4. The basic motive for behavior is to maintain, protect, and enhance one’s self-concept.
5. One’s self-concept is more important than his physical body. Individuals often sacrifice
physical comfort and satisfaction for psychological satisfaction.
6. Self-concept is characterized by internal organization, harmony, and orderliness; it is
not a hodgepodge of mental states.
7. The self-concept is a continuous process. There is a constant assimilation of new
ideas and expulsion of old ideas throughout life. Self-concepts change due to what a
person learns and experiences.
8. One’s self-concept depends on how he sees himself and how others indicate that they
see him. Few people can long retain self-esteem in the face of the disesteem of
others.
9. The self-concept is formed as a result of experience and how one interprets that
experience. Interactions with other people heavily influence self-perceptions.
10. The self-concept is a “gyrocompass” for living. Individuals strive to behave in ways that
are in keeping with their self-concepts.
11. The self-concept works to maintain and protect itself. It requires consistency, stability,
and resistance to change. If the self-concept changed too readily, the person would
lack a personality.
12. The more central a particular belief is to the self-concept, the more resistant it is to
change.
13. At the heart of self-concept is personal awareness, the self-as-doer, the “I” which is
distinct from the self-as-object, the various “me’s.” The self-concept is more than the
passive sum total of the “me’s.” It is also the ability to reflect on past events, analyze
present information, and shape future experience.
14. If a new perception seems consistent with those already incorporated in the
self-concept, it is accepted and internalized easily. However, if it is inconsistent,
it meets resistance and is likely to be rejected. If a perception has no relationship to
self-concept, it is generally ignored.
15. Perceived failure and success generalize throughout the self-concept. Failure in one
area lowers a person’s self-concept in other areas as well. Conversely, success in a
prized area raises evaluation in other, seemingly unrelated areas.
16. The self-concept continuously guards itself against loss of self-esteem because that
loss produces feelings of anxiety. Chronic feelings of anxiety are characteristic of low
self-esteem.
17. If the self-concept must constantly defend itself from assault, growth opportunities are
restricted.
18. The individual perceives different aspects of his or her self-concept at different times
with varying degrees of clarity. Therefore “inner focusing” is a valuable tool of
counseling.
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Theme I: Experiencing Learning
Unit 1: Awareness and Reflection
Of all the perceptions we experience in the course of living, perhaps none has more profound significance than the perceptions we hold regarding our own personal existence—our view of who we are
and how we fit into the world. This internal view of personal existence is called “self-concept.”