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Insocial psychology, the reflected appraisal process is considered one of the influences on the development ofself-concept. The term refers to a process where we imagine how other people see us.In many instances, the way we believe others perceive us is the way we perceive ourselves.

How Self-Awareness Develops and Why It Matters

What is Reflected Appraisal?

We all make judgments about people, objects, and events in the world around us. We are also aware that other people make judgments aboutus. Think about the last time you went to a party. You probably spent quite a bit of time getting ready, selecting the clothes you would wear as well as other aspects of your physical appearance. Once you are at the party, you immediately become aware that other people are taking in your presence and making judgments about not only how you look, but how you present yourself, your personality, and even your preferences.

How This Practice Affects You

Family relationships can also play a role in how reflected appraisal influences feelings about the self. For example, children who grow up with parents who consistently offer positive and supportive appraisals will be more likely to experience a stronger sense of self and betterself-esteemas they grow up.In such instances, credibility continues to play a role in how these appraisals are viewed. A positive judgment from a parent will carry greater weight than an appraisal from a younger sibling.

4 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Leary MR.Handbook of Self and Identity, Second Edition. New York: Guilford Publications, 2011.Downey B.The Looking Glass Self and Deliberation Bias in Qualitative Interviews.Sociol Spectr. 2015;35(6):534-551. doi:10.1080/02732173.2015.1064803Xu X, Chen Y, Zhao Y, Yang J.The neural evidence of the reflected appraisal process as a main path for learning about one’s self-knowledge of personality.Biol Psychol. 2015;110:85-90. doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.06.017Gunderson EA, Gripshover SJ, Romero C, Dweck CS, Goldin-Meadow S, Levine SC.Parent Praise to 1‐ to 3‐Year‐Olds Predicts Children’s Motivational Frameworks 5 Years Later.Child Dev. 2013;84(5):1526-1541. doi:10.1111/cdev.12064

4 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Leary MR.Handbook of Self and Identity, Second Edition. New York: Guilford Publications, 2011.Downey B.The Looking Glass Self and Deliberation Bias in Qualitative Interviews.Sociol Spectr. 2015;35(6):534-551. doi:10.1080/02732173.2015.1064803Xu X, Chen Y, Zhao Y, Yang J.The neural evidence of the reflected appraisal process as a main path for learning about one’s self-knowledge of personality.Biol Psychol. 2015;110:85-90. doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.06.017Gunderson EA, Gripshover SJ, Romero C, Dweck CS, Goldin-Meadow S, Levine SC.Parent Praise to 1‐ to 3‐Year‐Olds Predicts Children’s Motivational Frameworks 5 Years Later.Child Dev. 2013;84(5):1526-1541. doi:10.1111/cdev.12064

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Leary MR.Handbook of Self and Identity, Second Edition. New York: Guilford Publications, 2011.Downey B.The Looking Glass Self and Deliberation Bias in Qualitative Interviews.Sociol Spectr. 2015;35(6):534-551. doi:10.1080/02732173.2015.1064803Xu X, Chen Y, Zhao Y, Yang J.The neural evidence of the reflected appraisal process as a main path for learning about one’s self-knowledge of personality.Biol Psychol. 2015;110:85-90. doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.06.017Gunderson EA, Gripshover SJ, Romero C, Dweck CS, Goldin-Meadow S, Levine SC.Parent Praise to 1‐ to 3‐Year‐Olds Predicts Children’s Motivational Frameworks 5 Years Later.Child Dev. 2013;84(5):1526-1541. doi:10.1111/cdev.12064

Leary MR.Handbook of Self and Identity, Second Edition. New York: Guilford Publications, 2011.

Downey B.The Looking Glass Self and Deliberation Bias in Qualitative Interviews.Sociol Spectr. 2015;35(6):534-551. doi:10.1080/02732173.2015.1064803

Xu X, Chen Y, Zhao Y, Yang J.The neural evidence of the reflected appraisal process as a main path for learning about one’s self-knowledge of personality.Biol Psychol. 2015;110:85-90. doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.06.017

Gunderson EA, Gripshover SJ, Romero C, Dweck CS, Goldin-Meadow S, Levine SC.Parent Praise to 1‐ to 3‐Year‐Olds Predicts Children’s Motivational Frameworks 5 Years Later.Child Dev. 2013;84(5):1526-1541. doi:10.1111/cdev.12064

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