Self-image is the picture you have of yourself, the sort of person you believe you are.【B1】___in your self-image are the【B2】___ in which you place yourself, the roles you play, and other 【B3】___descriptors you use to identify yourself. If you tell an【B4】you are a grandfather who【B5】lost his wife and who does【B6】work on weekends, several elements of your self-image are brought to light—the roles of grandparent, widower, and conscientious【B7】___.

But self-image is more than how you picture yourself; it also involves how others see you. Three types of feedback from others are【B8】______ of how they see us: confirmation, rejection, and disconfirmation. Confirmation occurs when others treat you in a manner consistent with who you believe you are.【B9】___. On the other hand, rejection occurs when others treat you in a manner that is inconsistent with your self-definition. Pierre Salinger was appointed senator from California but subsequently lost his first election.【B10】—their vote was inconsistent with his self-concept. The third type of feedback is disconfirmation, which occurs when others fail to respond to your notion of self by responding neutrally.【B11】___. Rather than relying on how others classify you, consider how you identify yourself. The way in which you identify yourself is the best reflection of your self-image.

【B2】