General definition of self-representation
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary self-representation can be ‘a; an artistic likeness or image of oneself’
‘b; the act of serving as one’s own lawyer in a legal matter especially in court’
Definition in psychology
The self-representation can be defined as the image someone has of oneself. This image is formed by complex interactions with other persons and experiences in society and life in general.
Self-representation as a psychological concept
In pyschology we often refer to self-representation as part of a wider range of concepts related to the self. Among these concepts are for example; self-concept, self-awareness, self-regulation. Overall there are a lot of aspects that can be distinguished. In this article eighty self-related phenomena are distinguished!
Metacognition
Metacognition literally means ”thinking about thinking”. In relation to self-representation, metacognition interacts with the self-concept by examining implicit theories about the self. These theories may be culturally or socially transmitted, and can have a huge impact on people. If a woman for example holds the belief that women are generally bad drivers, she may choose not to pursue her driving license and avoid driving all together.
Socially and culturally propagated stereotypes can thus influence the self-concept and have dire effects on persistence, performance and motivation.
