expert says

Courtney E. Ackerman, M.A. is a renowned author and psychologist. She has written four published books and has a Master of Arts in Positive Organizational Psychology. She has authored and continues to write several blogs on PositivePsychology.com about various topics: therapeutic practices, workplace and academic life, self-awareness, mindfulness, and many more.We sat down with her to ask about the work she has done on and her overall thoughts on the self-concept.

What self-factors contribute to our self-identities? "Our self-concept is affected by how we feel about ourselves and how we judge our abilities, competencies, and worth as a person. When we put some effort into boosting these self-evaluations, our self-concept will adjust to accommodate these changes. We have the ability to change how we think about ourselves by working to become more like our ideal selves." Ackerman says that the concept of ourself is formed throughout our life, but it is most susceptible to change when growing up.

What things affect our self-concept & vice versa? The first point Ackerman starts off with is that the choices we make when buying things affects how we view ourselves. The role marketing plays is certain — how we self-conceptualize seeps its way into our buying behaviors. There's a term for it for all you psychology-lovers: self-concept attachment. Our self-concept also impacts our academic and professional accomplishments and evolution, interpersonal communication, and our culture.

She refers to research that shows students who have a more positive outlook on themselves in the academic achievement sense did better on tests, homework, and other assignments. In our daily communication with other people, self-concept plays an integral role: "Our self-concept drives our motivations, methods, and experiences with communicating with others," she says. "For example, if you see yourself as someone who is always right (or who must always be right), you may struggle in communicating with others when disagreements arise."