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To study the Gender Difference in the development of Self Concept

Sara Mahesh

Department of Psychology, Aryabhatta College, University of Delhi

B.A(Hons) Psychology, Social Psychology

Dr. Neera Kapoor

March 19, 2025

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To study the Gender Difference in the development of Self Concept

Aim
To study the gender difference among college going male and female college students in their
self-Concept.
Objectives
 To understand the concept of Self
 To understand the concept of Self Concept
 To identify the gender difference between male and female college students in their
Self Concept
Basic Concepts

Meaning of self

The self refers to an individual’s awareness of their own identity, thoughts, emotions, and
experiences. It is the way a person perceives and understands themselves in relation to the
world.

Meaning of self-concept

Self-concept refers to an individual’s perception, beliefs, and understanding of themselves. It

includes how a person views their abilities, personality, values, and social identity. It Is the
collection of beliefs and perceptions that a person has about themselves. It’s a broad
understanding of who someone is, including their physical, mental, social and spiritual
characteristics. James was the first one to suggest that the person has many ‘selves’ i.e., Real
self, Ideal self and Social self.

Real self-concept- it is the person’s concept of himself i.e., what he/she really is. It includes
his/her perception of appearance, recognition abilities, role and status in life, strength, values,
beliefs and other psychological traits.

Ideal self-concept - it is made of perceptions of what a person aspires to be and what he

believes he ought to be. It may be related to the physical self-image and psychological self-
image or both. It may be realistic in the sense that it may be within the reach of the person, or
it may be so unrealistic that it can never be reached in real life. Almost everyone has an ideal
self-concept. If the real self-concept dominates, the ideal self-concept is likely to be more
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realistic because the real self-concept is found to be more representative of one’s capabilities
and abilities.

Social self-concept- it is based on the way an individual believes that how others perceive
him. It is developed earlier than the real self-concept. Individual’s develop different social
self-concepts, depending upon the kind of social groups, home, peers and community.

Development of Self- Knowledge or Sources of Self – Knowledge

In social psychology, the primary sources of self-knowledge include: introspection
(examining one’s own thoughts and feelings), social comparison (comparing oneself to
others), reflected appraisals (perceptions of how others view us), self-perception (observing
one’s own behaviour), and the physical world (basic physical attributes like height and
appearance); all of these contribute to how we understand and perceive ourselves.

sources:

• Introspection:

Looking inward to access thoughts, emotions, and motivations, allowing us to understand our
internal states directly.

• Social Comparison:

Evaluating ourselves by comparing our abilities, opinions, and behaviours to others, often
those perceived as similar.

• Reflected Appraisals:

How we believe others perceive us, which shapes our self-concept based on the feedback we
receive from others.

• Self-Perception Theory:
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Learning about ourselves by observing our own behaviour in different situations.

• Physical World:

Basic physical attributes like appearance, height, and weight contribute to our self-image.

Important considerations:

• Accuracy of self-knowledge:

While these sources provide information about the self, they can be influenced by biases and
self-deception, leading to inaccurate self-perceptions.

• Cultural context:

The importance of different sources of self-knowledge can vary depending on cultural norms
and values.

• Self-awareness:

The ability to accurately monitor and understand one’s own thoughts, emotions, and
behaviours is crucial for developing robust self-knowledge.

Hypothesis

There will be difference between male and female college students in their Self Concept.

Review of literature

Development and Dimensions of Self-Concept

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Self-concept is not innate but develops progressively through interactions with the
environment and society. Mehrad (2016) highlights that self-concept influences an
individual’s beliefs, attitudes, and reactions toward personal and social life. This construct is
multidimensional, encompassing self-image, self-esteem, and the ideal self, which
collectively contribute to one’s overall self-perception.

Mehrad, A. (2016). Mini literature review of self-concept. Journal of Educational, Health and
Community Psychology, 5(2), 62–65.

Self-Concept in Educational Settings

The role of self-concept in educational contexts has been extensively studied. Muasya (2021)
reviews literature indicating that a positive self-concept is associated with better academic
performance. The study suggests that educators can enhance students’ self-concept through
supportive teaching practices, thereby improving learning outcomes.

Muasya, I. W. (2021). Self-concept and its implications in educational practice (teaching and
learning): A literature review. Journal of Educational Foundations, 10(2), 15–22.

Self-esteem/self-concept scales for children and adolescents

Richard J Butler, Sarah L Gasson

There remains a flourishing interest in self-esteem/self-concept both in academic and clinical

circles and popular literature. This paper elaborates various notions of the self and discusses
the principles underpinning ways of measuring self-esteem/self-concept with children and
adolescents. A review over the last 20 years indicates a raft of scales currently employed.
The 14 most frequently cited are considered, with the top six measures and the latest British
scale discussed in detail. The paper highlights issues and themes emerging from a
comprehensive analysis of these scales, with a conclusion framed around assisting the reader
to make an informed choice.

Butler, R. J., & Gasson, S. L. (2005). Self-esteem/self-concept scales for children and
adolescents: A review. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 10(4), 190–201

The professional self-concept of nurses

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J Randle, D Arthur

This paper will discuss some recent concerns about research in the area of the professional
self-concept of nurses, and trace the development of the literature on professional self-
concept of nurses over the last 14 years. Professional self- concept or how nurses feel about
themselves as nurses is vital in examining current and future nursing practice and education,
as it affects patient care. The essence of the paper is the identification of three streams of
literature: 1) which has ‘emerged from the development of the Professional Self-Concept of
Nurses instrument’; 2) literature which fails to consider recent or current research in the area;
and 3) ‘well-conducted work in the topic area’. The implications are nurses, educators and
students are presented.

Arthur, D., & Randle, J. (2007). The professional self-concept of nurses: A review of the
literature from 1992-2006. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 24(3), 60–64.

Self-Concept Among Students with Learning Disabilities

Students with learning disabilities (LD) often face challenges that can impact their self-
concept. A systematic review by Zeleke et al. (2023) synthesizes 20 years of quantitative
research, revealing that students with LD tend to have lower academic self-concept compared
to their peers. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions to bolster self-
concept in this population.

Zeleke, S., Hughes, T. L., & Swanson, H. L. (2023). A systematic literature review: The self-
concept of students with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 56(1), 5–18.
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