What is Self-Perception?
Perception is the process of selectively attending and assigning meaning to information. Our perceptions are a result of our selection, organization and interpretation of sensory information. Self-Perception is the way you interpret yourself, it consists of your mental image and value you assign to your skills, abilities, knowledge, competencies, and personality.
Psychology has long recognized that people must know themselves in order to survive and adapt in life. The value of self-knowledge stems from the fact that the self represents the only constant throughout life. Because of this if the self is well defined, it can provide a solid basis of values, preferences, and attitudes to manage the many decisions of daily life. Clear self-knowledge helps people to quickly decide and express their views on issues such as capital punishment, the ideal profession, or their tastes in music, whereas the absence of clear self-knowledge can leave an individual paralyzed by these decisions. Given the importance of self-knowledge, psychologists have spent a great deal of time attempting to understand how people come to know themselves.
Why does it matter?
Creating an accurate, updated self-perception comes through understanding what influences us and is essential in building change capability through conscious choices if we are to succeed. Otherwise our perceptual feedback loop will continue to create the same outcomes, same relationships, same jobs, same struggle and chaos etc.
If you happen to be experiencing growth, satisfaction and are thriving this also is contributed to by your self perception and equally valuable to take the time to consciously understand what perceptions contribute to this outcome, enhancing your ability to continually recreate that reality.
Summary
Self-Perception is the way you perceive yourself, the subconscious value you attach to your skills, abilities, knowledge, competencies, and personality.
Self-Perception is the unofficial term for the dynamic method in which we intake, process, evaluate and assign meaning to information.
Your self-perception is influenced by your past experiences, parents, friends, community, teachers, bosses, media etc.
Creating an accurate and updated self-perception comes through understanding what influences us and is essential in building change capability through conscious choices if we are to succeed.
Below is a starter activity to begin exploring what your Self perceptions are and for more info on how to deepen your understanding and build change capability get in touch.
Resource: “Self-Perception Theory.” International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. . Retrieved September 03, 2018 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/applied-and-social-sciences-magazines/self-perception-theory