Self Affirmation Essay

From an early age, individuals display various interlinked behaviors that can be summarised in a theoretical aspect. However, many a time, it becomes challenging to pin down a given act or conduct relative to some other behavior noted in an individual. The report aims at relating various components of self-affirmation to research methods that include both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. Self-Affirmation Introduction Self-affirmation theory attempts to explain reasons as to why individuals reduce the effect of a given threat to their self-perception by paying attention to their competency in some other field. In essence, individuals maintain that if they are knocked off in one area, they will compensate the failure or weakness in another field altogether. The theory helps to examine the manner I which people maintain the morality, decency and positive self-perception especially if the self is exposed and vulnerable to the negative perception (Sweeney, & Moyer, 2015).

It is intended to safeguard negativity and prevents exposure of any information that may point to weakening one’s self-concept. The study will employ qualitative research techniques to understand the underlying motivations, reasons, and opinions on the conduct of individuals to affirm their manners with the aim of maintaining positive self-esteem. The methodology will offer insights into the situation that provides for the development of hypothesis into the research. At the same time, the method will provide insight into varying inclinations of opinion and thought to get a more in-depth understanding of the situation. Claude Steele brought forth the self-affirmation theory. The theory gave a deep insight into maintaining a particular self-image, for example, being a good father. However, this is never their central objective.

Many are motivated to keep a specific self-integrity, an overall overview of their virtue, efficacy, and goodness (Sweeney, & Moyer, 2015). It thus points to the fact that self-integrity has some facility in which one is willing and at a position to endure a particular threat that leads to their self-integrity especially to their significant domain. Method Section Participants The sample group made up of 15 celebrities and 15 politicians at the College of Sussex who took a course credit. Before that, an analysis showed that the lowest needed sample realized an effect size of (d=0. Eighty percent power to be ten participants. To give room for some degree of loss by way of mistakes and faults, data collection continued up until the deadline. Those who took part aged between twenty and forty-five.

In a controlled environment, the participants also wrote some of their least significant values. On the sidelines, they gave reasons why it may be necessary for others and the impact it may have on their attitudes and mannerism. Functional memory The participants were given several letters totalling to 50 and each projected on a screen for the duration of 300 ms. After that, the display was switched off for about 3 seconds. For the letters, the participants had to show if both the previous and current letters matched. Those removed were approximately five percent. The skewed data were normalized by use transforming the square roots. After excluding those left out, only seventy-nine percent of the results were analyzed. According to the results, self-affirmed members had a better working memory thus more efficient.

Control (n=38) Self-Affirmation (n=38) F p RT (ms 298. Self-affirmed members responded with higher efficiency on the two activities. Self-affirmation can go a long way in boosting performance on a complicated operation. The performances entailed a speedy response, instead of interference on different types of trials. Improvement of effectiveness was clear especially on the operational memory activity whereby the larger magnitude was observed with each corresponding quick response. However, it is no doubt that the impact of self-affirmation reduced each time an activity-induced depletion (Sweeney, & Moyer, 2015). According to the notion of the theory, a majority of persons attempt to maintain a particular image, for example, being right (Cohen & Sherman, 2014). For example, it is common knowledge that celebrities try as much as possible to maintain a positive and feel-good image among their fans.

However, this is not their primary objective. Somewhat, they are encouraged to keep up with an overall self-integrity or general perception of goodness, efficacy, virtue, and goodness. However, a person is positive in feeling positive about who they are in one sector and willing to tolerate. For example, if one is asked if they would donate a dollar towards a charity event, the obvious answer will be a yes. However, if a different person approaches them with the same question a few days later, they would donate even if they do not conform to the second request with the previous question (Sweeney, & Moyer, 2015). At the same time, if a person is asked if they would save a few buckets of water during the dry season, they would affirm doing so.

However, if it is pointed out the large volumes of water they use to shower, the individual is highly likely to take small and fewer baths in the future. Conclusion and Benefits of Self-Affirmation If and when self-integrity is exposed, and at risk, individuals need to distort their true self and re-establish their integrity through and by affirmative actions. Different from those in a controlled environment, those who had undertaken a self-affirmation exercise showed little sign of stress in the game. It shows that self-affirmation is beneficial to an individual and helps one appreciate their unique combination abilities in various fields or domains. References Armitage, C. J. , & Arden, M. K. The psychology of change: Self-affirmation and social psychological intervention.  Annual review of psychology, 65.