The Construction of the Self A Developmental Perspective
by Susan Harter
Category: Psychology

How do children and adolescents see themselves, and how do their self-perceptions relate to their relationships with others? How do cognitive and social processes interact in the development of each person's unique sense of self? Drawing upon the author's decades of innovative research, this long-awaited volume traces the stages of self-development and examines how self-representations affect functioning across diverse domains. With special attention to gender and cultural variables, chapters cover such topics as pathways to low self-worth and depression; the effects of child abuse; conflict provoked by shifting roles and self- representations in adolescence; and the authenticity of the self. The concluding chapter covers interventions designed to promote adaptive self-evaluations.