Assignment:
Title: The Social Mirror
Readings the following chapter are given below is:
Journey into Self-awareness and Self management, Establishing Goals Consistent with Your Values and Ethics
Purpose: To identify how others perceptions and views have affected and shaped our personalities, identities and self-image.
Resources: This essay is a reflection exercise.
Activity Instructions:
After reading the first chapter of the textbook, complete this activity. To recognize the potential inaccuracy or incompetence of the "social mirror," or others' opinions of you as a person, take a moment to reflect on how the social mirror has affected you. Reflect back on all aspects of your life: personal (dealing with family and friends, roommates, neighbors, significant others), academic (teachers, coaches, classmates), and professional (bosses, co-workers, subordinates, mentors) to examine what influence others have had on your self-image and other areas of importance to you (community, religion, sports, etc.).
Answer the questions below in comprehensive, complete sentences. Do not provide brief answers. Instead, compose at least 4 to 5 full sentences (i.e., a full paragraph) that answer each of the posed thought-provoking discussions.
- Explain the meaning of social mirror. Next, apply to yourself and explore what others would say about you that is generally positive.
- Explain the Johari Window and consider what qualities or behaviors lie within your "Blind" area. What "constructive suggestions" would others offer to help you improve or change?
- Explain the meaning of personality and its relationship with interpersonal communication. What do you most like about yourself and how does it help you communicate with others?
- Explain self-analysis and examine what you most dislike in yourself and would like to change.
- Explain self-awareness and examine beliefs that you have about yourself that limit you.
- Elaborate on how these beliefs might have been created or influenced by your social mirror.
- Since it is possible - perhaps even likely - that these weaknesses or limitations are more imagined than real, what could you do to turn them into strengths?
- Explain the meaning and significance of self-disclosure. Next, write about who could help you make these changes or give you feedback about your progress and how that might benefit you in the future.
- Think back on the questions and identify a few that were more difficult to complete than others. Explain why.
- What did you learn about yourself in this exercise?
Please remember that your task is to not only write your own assessment, but to show that you are able to draw connections between your readings and your reflection. Use concepts and theories from the appropriate chapters, explain your understanding of their application, and show how they help you understand yourself. Remember to cite properly in-text (Author, YEAR) and at the end of your reflection with a fully formatted APA reference.
Readings:
The Brief Attachment Scale (BAS-16): A short measure of infant attachment
By Tim Cadman and Jay Belsky