- 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.

Mental Representations of the Relational Self

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

Levels of Specificity of Relational Selves  

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. 

Alma College

Contains information pertaining to the conceptions of the self:
- Self-Concept
- Self-Esteem
- Relational Selves
- Self-Efficacy
- Self-Guides
- Self-Schema

Various Conceptions of 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

One's definition of who they are--includes feelings, attitudes, behaviors, desires, and judgements that one considers to be characteristic of themselves. An awareness that we are physically distinct from others.

Self-Concept

A generalized evaluation of one's self. Typically either a positive or negative evaluation of traits, abilities, etc. 

Self-Esteem

Relational Self

Proposed by Albert Bandura, self-efficacy is an individual's belief in their own ability to successfully complete a specific task. This belief, which can be influenced by past successes in similar tasks, is considered a key factor in determining a person's motivation, emotional state, and subsequent behavior.

Self-Efficacy

Result from shortcomings among our current, ideal, and ought self. These shortcomings help motivate us and guide us towards becoming our ideal and ought selves.

Self-Guides

Knowledge structure that consists of cognitive generalizations we have about ourselves. 

Self-Schema

A person's overall subjective evaluation on their worth, and how they feel about the evaluation. Those with high self esteem tend to feel hopeful, and those with low self esteem tend to feel hopeless and withdraw. Typically either a positive or negative evaluation of traits, abilities, etc.

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