Question

Explain comparison and reflection processes

Describe the Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model and give examples

Describe self-serving biases and their purpose

Answer 1

• Social comparison process states that we determine our own social and personal worth based on how we stack up against others. As a result, we are constantly making self and other evaluations across a variety of domains (for example, attractiveness, wealth, intelligence, and success). Most of us have the social skills and impulse control to keep our envy and social comparisons quiet but our true feelings may come out in subtle ways.
• Reflective practice is the ability to reflect on one's actions so as to engage in a process of continuous learning. According to one definition it involves "paying critical attention to the practical values and theories which inform everyday actions, by examining practice reflectively and reflexively.
• Reflection has many facets. For example, reflecting on work enhances its meaning. Reflecting on experiences encourages insight and complex learning. We foster our own growth when we control our learning, so some reflection is best done alone. Reflection is also enhanced, however, when we ponder our learning with others
• The self-evaluation maintenance (SEM) model of behavior is focused on how the performance of other people influences perception and evaluation of the self. The SEM model emphasizes how another's performance can either influence self-evaluation in a positive or negative way. For example if your sibling won a sports award and you were a competitive athlete you would use self-evaluation to compare yourself to your sibling and feel a decrease in self-esteem.
• Self-serving bias is how social psychologists describe humans’ tendency to blame external forces when bad things happen and to give ourselves credit when good things happen. Although it can mean evading personal responsibility for your actions, self-serving bias is a defense mechanism that protects your self-esteem. By blaming outside forces for failures, you protect your self-esteem and absolve yourself from personal responsibility.