The self in relation to a specific significant other (e.g. me and my mother or me and Marc)

Relation-Specific Relational Self

A summary representation of the self in the context of multiple
relationships (e.g. a family, our class, etc.). For example, how I relate or who I am in relation to my family members or my classmates--but not specific members of those groups. 

Generalized Relational Self

Self conceptions relation to significant others as a general class of people; for example how I typically behave or relate to people who are important to me.

Global Relational Selves

The levels of specificity people may have for the relational self: 
- Relationship-specific relational self  
- Generalized relational self
- Global relational self

Alma College

The relational self pertains to how the self is related to others; specifically, how mental representations may be tied to other people and how we change how we define ourselves when in the context of other people. 

Relational Self

Chen, S., Boucher, H. C., & Tapias, M. P. (2006). The relational self revealed: integrative conceptualization and implications for interpersonal life. Psychological bulletin, 132(2), 151.

The Relational Self Revealed

- Influence many of our psychological processes and their outcomes 
- Often activated automatically
- Serve many fundamental orienting and meaning functions
- Allow for coherence, continuity, situational variability in our personality 
- Influence our psychological well-being

The Role of the Relational Self in our Interpersonal Lives

The relational selves consist of our self-knowledge that is linked to our knowledge about significant others in our lives. Our relational self might be different than the mental representation we have for ourselves without the consideration of others.

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