Self-schema

Self-schema in psychology refers to an individual’s self-knowledge and self-perception. A self-schema is the result of generalizations that a person makes about who the individual is, what they believe, and how the person will behave in a given situation based on past experiences. These generalizations form an image in an individual’s mind of how one sees oneself in certain situations. For example, someone who trips while running to first base in a softball game and loses a race in gym class may form a self-schema that they are not good at sports. This schema will likely then affect how one approaches sports in the future. An individual may verbalize a self-schema through a label, such as "I’m clumsy" or "I’m a good listener."

Characteristics

The self-perceptions that make up a self-schema can be positive or negative and can affect any aspect of one’s life. A person may have multiple self-schemas that apply to different situations. For instance, one may see oneself as a quiet introvert at work but be outgoing and quick to joke when among friends, based on various self-schemas.

Self-schemas also affect the extent to which a person perceives things in the environment. A person who has a self-schema that includes being musical will be more likely to notice things related to music in the world around them, such as birds singing or a discordant wind chime. Conversely, a person’s self-schema can cause one to screen out things that are not part of a self-conception; a person with no interest in astronomy may well miss the announcement of a rare eclipse. A person who has a schema related to a particular area of life is said to be schematic in that area. The individual who has no self-image related to a certain area is said to be non-schematic in that regard.

Origins

Researchers believe people begin developing schemas in childhood based on the feedback received from parents, siblings, and other close contacts. These stable and sometimes rigid patterns of thinking then form the basis for how a child views themselves growing up and into adulthood. The self-schema is a form of self-knowledge of one’s abilities, thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that creates a framework the individual uses to assess or judge himself or herself and to make decisions about future actions. In this way, the past serves as a filter for the individual’s future self-perception and self-esteem.

A child who grows up with very critical parents might form a self-schema of incompetence and may be unable to trust or value their own actions or thoughts. The child of critical parents could struggle when faced with a pending challenge, such as a job loss. On the other hand, a child who is encouraged to try new things with the expectation that they will be better at some things than others and who is told that mistakes are part of the learning process will more easily form a self-schema that they are capable and can bounce back from missteps. Such an individual will more likely see a setback as a temporary situation that may be overcome.

While they begin developing in childhood, new self-schemas are formed throughout life as a person’s experiences broaden; new situations add to existing perceptions or create new ones in an individual’s mind.

Self-schemas can become self-perpetuating. Someone who sees themselves as incompetent could become anxious during job interviews and fail to perform well, adding another experience of incompetence. This serves to reinforce the schema, entrenching it more deeply in one’s self-image.

Implications

Studies have found that self-schemas can translate into behavior that is either good or bad for a person, depending on the nature of the schema. For example, people who saw themselves as healthy showed a greater tendency to consciously choose to eat more fruits and vegetables than those who saw themselves as unfit and unhealthy. This occurred even when the person’s self-perception was skewed—an individual self-identified as healthy but was actually overweight, or vice versa. These tendencies are thought to play a role in some addictive or self-destructive behaviors because self-schemas are often firmly rooted and difficult to dislodge.

Researchers believe that self-schemas help govern the pattern of choices that ultimately lead to habits. Habits are actions that are taken with little advance thought or planning; they are so much a part of one’s routine that they occur almost automatically. Those who see themselves as neat, tidy, and conscientious will develop habits that support this self-image and tend to personal and household hygiene with little conscious thought. However, individuals whose self-schemas tell them they are lazy, disorganized, or not competent in doing household tasks may never form habits of good hygiene.

Self-schemas may also contribute to the development of negative habits. For instance, people with eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia generally have self-schemas that they are fat, regardless of what a scale or mirror might show. Such individuals may develop unhealthy habits in response to an inaccurate self-schema.

Those who find themselves caught in negative self-schemas and their habits can unlearn these images and behaviors. This usually involves more than simply knowing the schema exists, however, because a negative self-schema often causes unconscious patterns of behavior and reactions. For instance, one who sees oneself as incompetent may get depressed when a work performance review is coming up without realizing what is causing this depression. The person seeking to overturn a negative self-schema must develop an awareness of the negative self-image, consciously question whether any reaction is valid or a result of the negative image, and replace the reaction with a conscious effort to adopt a healthier attitude. The process can take time and may require professional assistance.

Bibliography

Allom, Vanessa, and Barbara Mullen. "Self-Regulation Versus Habit: The Influence of Self-Schema on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption." Psychology & Health, vol. 27, no. 2, 2012, pp. 7-24. Academia, www.academia.edu/11598886/Self-regulation‗versus‗habit‗The‗influence‗of‗self-schema‗on‗fruit‗and‗vegetable‗consumption. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

Cherry, Kendra. “What Is a Self-Schema?” Verywell Mind, 3 Dec. 2023, www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-self-schema-2795026. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

Heshmat, Shahram. "Overcoming Negative Self-Thinking." Psychology Today, 18 Mar. 2015, www.psychologytoday.com/blog/science-choice/201503/overcoming-negative-self-thinking-0. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

McArthur, Brae A., et al. "A Longitudinal Investigation of Cognitive Self-Schemas across Adolescent Development." Journal of Youth and Adolescence, vol. 48, no. 3, 2019, p. 635, doi.org/10.1007/s10964-018-00981-1. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.