Assessment 1

Evaluation of Self Theories

Introduction

The concept of 'self ' is a philosophy that has a long and interesting history . Neill (2006 ) explains that understanding what constitutes the 'self ' has been a continual challenge for artists , philosophers , poets and others for millennia . The author noted that in the first millennia the concept of self implied the weak , sinful , crude and selfish nature of man . The human 'self ' was seen as evil , and often contrasted with the perfect divine nature of the Christian soul . However , with the ousting of religion as the dominant organisational

culture , especially in the West , and the rise of industrialisation , and then capitalism , with its tendencies towards individualism , autonomy and freedom , philosophers and psychologist have created diverse and empirically sound constructs of the 'self (Neill , 2006 . Defining what constitutes 'self , Beaumont (2008 ) asserts that the 'self ' is the seat of perception , consciousness evaluation and intent . The author also pointed out that the self is the entirety of human physical and mental being with all its unique characteristics . In sum , the 'self ' refers to the cognitive representation of one 's identity (Sedikides Spencer , 2007

Theorists have propounded several personality and /or motivational theories in the attempt to explain the relationship between external factors and human motivations and sense of 'self . While some of these theories are based on empirical research findings , others are based on abstract thinking however , while almost every self related theory has its limitations , they all , together and individually , provide us with a better understanding of...