selfviews

Self-views are the beliefs, attitudes, and evaluations that individuals hold about themselves. They form part of the broader self-concept and can be explicit (consciously endorsed) or implicit (unconscious). Self-views include domain-specific judgments such as “I am good at math” or “I am a reliable friend,” as well as overall judgments like “I am a capable person.” These views guide attention, interpretation of events, and motivation, shaping behavior across contexts such as school, work, and relationships.

Development of self-views arises from social feedback, personal achievements, comparisons with others, cultural norms, and reflection on experiences. They can be relatively stable but are also malleable; major life events, therapy, and deliberate practice can alter them. Theories such as self-verification suggest people prefer consistency between their self-views and incoming information, while self-enhancement motives push toward more favorable interpretations of information.

Measurement and related constructs: Self-views overlap with self-concept, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. Self-esteem assesses evaluative aspects of the self, often through global feelings of worth, while self-efficacy assesses beliefs about specific capabilities. Implicit self-views can be examined with indirect measures that reveal automatic associations.

Impact: Positive self-views are commonly associated with resilience and well-being, whereas negative self-views correlate with higher risk for depression and anxiety. However, rigidly positive self-views can distort reality, and overly negative views can undermine functioning. Developing adaptive self-views involves accurate self-appraisal, constructive feedback, and goal-directed practice.

Contexts: Self-views influence education, employment, and relationships by affecting performance, leadership, and social interaction. In the digital era, social media can shape and reveal self-views through the construction of online identities.