How Humans Form Beliefs About Themselves

We often hear the words “I think therefore I am” quoted tragically out of context. The French philosopher Descartes wrote these words, it was part of the conclusion to a larger treatise about how we form beliefs about the external world. However, in that classic work, “Meditations on First Philosophy,” Descartes came to the conclusion that the only thing that we can know with certainty is ourselves.

 

The ability of humans to think and hold beliefs about themselves is widely regarded as one of the things that make us human. But, how do we do it? How do humans form beliefs about themselves and what do those beliefs mean for our sense of happiness and sense of self?

 

What Others Say about Us

 

Descartes might be upset to know that despite his assertion that we cannot really be sure of the external world, most psychologists agree that we form our opinions of ourselves largely based on the external world.

 

The external world factors into our beliefs about ourselves in a number of ways. For one thing, our perception of what others think of us plays a huge role. If other people tend to praise and appreciate us, we are more likely to feel good about ourselves. However, if other people tend to degrade us and put us down, we are more likely to have negative opinions about ourselves.

 

The great twentieth-century psychologist Carl Rogers wrote extensively on the individual and the individual’s perceptions of itself. Rogers believed that we have two conceptions of self, one is who we want to be and the other is who we think we are. According to Rogers, the closer these aspects are the happier and more successful we will be. As a result, Rogers believes that in order for a person to reach their full potential they must be a part of a community that encourages them to struggle and thrive.

 

How We Feel about Ourselves

 

Our perceptions of ourselves aren’t only formed based on the perceptions of other people. We are also able to evaluate our own actions and decisions. For example, have you ever made a decision, or created something and felt pride in yourself even though no one else knew about it? This kind of pride comes from being happy with how we feel about ourselves rather than being happy with how others feel about us.

 

According to Rogers, this kind of feeling is very important for us as we work towards our goals. For example, someone who wants to be a doctor but is not yet a doctor should be experiencing “incongruence” -- what Roger called it when our ideal selves and actual selves are out of sync. However, if that person is studying medicine, they may already feel like they have achieved their dreams because they are working toward achieving their dreams.

 

Analysis of Those Considerations

 

Finally, our minds can form beliefs about ourselves in a third way. Our mind is able to take what it thinks others think about us and what we think about ourselves and form a sort of aggregate opinion. This can even manifest as an internal dialogue as we try to decide whether we are right about ourselves or whether others are right about us. This dialogue plays out in what some experts call the “monkey mind” - it’s what thoughts are going on while we’re not aware of them. While we may not be aware of them, they can play a significant role in how we think and feel.

 

Now that you know how humans form beliefs about themselves, hopefully you can use this information to help to shape your own beliefs about yourself. This can be done by creating positive environments, doing things that feel right for you, and being more in touch with your own thoughts and feelings.