Impacts on Self Concept, Self Esteem, Self-Exploration, and Reflection

Question A

Numerous factors act together to shape one’s opinion when striving to define oneself and identifying one’s position in the world. Such factors include social norms, cultural background, family, and media influence. Social norms coupled with one’s cultural background define the appropriate conduct when interacting with others. They, therefore, form the context for developing an individual’s identity. Family presents the environment to exercise and reinforce the acceptable interaction conduct as prescribed by the culture and social norms. In order to realize self-esteem and self-confidence, effective communication offers a channel necessary to express oneself and understand other people’s viewpoints. Consequently, it facilitates healthy social interactions and inevitably shapes a person’s self-concept. However, it is through the interaction of all these factors that a person is able to define himself/herself and cultivate self-esteem.

Among these factors, the media has had the greatest effect on influencing my self-esteem. Owing to the instantaneous nature of the internet, especially social networking sites, this has been my primary medium of communication and has largely influenced my self-esteem.

Question B

Like almost any other young person, social media has definitely influenced my self-esteem. Whenever I log in to any of my social network accounts, I am incessantly bombarded with endless comparison opportunities presented by posts from my friends. Most photo postings inadvertently shape my personal view concerning myself and create the impression of imperfection in my own self-image.

My use of social media has been marked with high and low moments that have shaped my personal view with regard to myself. Whenever I have posted a picture and received several likes and comments, I have experienced an overwhelming feeling of acceptance that has boosted my self-confidence. However,  the absence of these likes or comments results in a gloomy and dejected mood. The overall effect is a bruised ego as it signifies society’s disinterest in my thoughts and opinions. Social media has presented an avenue for expressing and presenting myself to the rest of society. The reactions received from my followers and friends on these networking platforms has been a marker indicating how much my opinion matters.

Question C

The forensic artist experiment presents a refreshing perspective on the disconnect between a person’s self-concept and society’s interpretation of one’s image. It reveals how we unfairly criticize ourselves and try to change our appearance, yet we are perfect just the way we are. Even though we harshly judge ourselves, the experiment offers invaluable insights into how society really views us. It reveals how we are naturally beautiful and emphasizes the need to focus on the positive aspects of our image, rather than the negative attributes we associate with our self-image. The knowledge on self-appreciation enables us to cultivate our self-esteem and boldly face the world. As a result, we focus less on our perceived weaknesses and eliminate insecurities that might hold us back in life and deny us the chance to realize our full potential. We, therefore, become better versions of ourselves and pursue healthier relationships that lead to happier lives.

This social experiment clearly demonstrates the incongruence between the people view themselves and the way society views them. It is a brief and accurate depiction of how people fail in defining their identity. However, all hope is not lost. The findings expose a simple remedy to the self-concept crisis facing today’s youth, ‘Be yourself and always focus on your best side because everyone else is looking at your positives.’

References

Hong Kong Asia Television. (2013). Hong Kong Asia Television Forensic artist draws how women see themselves vs. how others see them. . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw72ECvuT5c&feature=youtu.be