Chapter 1 - Self and Self-Belief in Psychology and Education: A Historical Perspective

Abstract

This chapter explains the historical perspective of self and self-belief in psychology and education. This chapter discusses that the belief that children create, develop, and hold to be true about themselves are vital forces in their success or failure in all endeavors, and of particular relevance to educators for their success or failure in school. The assumption that children's self-beliefs are inextricably tied to their thinking and functioning, seems so sound, so obvious, and so commonsensical. One might well think that research on academic motivation and achievement should naturally focus, at least in great part, on the things that children come to believe about themselves. The chapter's focus on a child's sense of “self” seems so reasonable that one would think it has always been instrumental in framing the discussion around educational concerns. The chapter explains the historical view that explains that understanding critical issues related to children's sense of self is crucial to understanding the manner in which they deal with all of life's tasks and challenges. Researchers generally agree that children develop a self-concept primarily through their interpretations of the reflected appraisals of others. The chapter concludes by reviewing psychological concepts that are responsible for the current resurgence of interest in self-beliefs in recent years, and by providing a discussion of some of the major educational implications that result from this renewed focus on students' self-beliefs in school.