SELF-CYBERNETICS - TOWARD AN INTEGRATED MODEL OF SELF-CONCEPT PROCESSES

An attempt is made in this paper to develop a self‐cybernetic model of human behavior, explaining behavior in terms of self‐concept and cybernetics. The integrated model is essentially a self‐cybernetic system described as a cyclical process involving monitor, input, comparator, and output processes. The monitor component is described in terms of self‐monitoring; input component is described in terms of self‐perception; comparator component is described in terms of self‐evaluation; and the output of the self‐cybernetic system is described in terms of three psychological processes—behavior change, cognitive change, and information search. It is argued that a self‐cybernetic system can be analyzed as a series of self‐cybernetics cycles in time (t—1, t, t+1,…, t+n). Each self‐cybernetic cycle starts out with a self‐monitoring process that guides the person to monitor certain self‐related information from the environment and/or activates certain self‐expectancies from memory. The input serves to categorize the information as similar/dissimilar to self‐expectancies evoked from memory. Information that is self‐debasing attributed to the self and/or inconsistent with the evoked self‐expectancy produces a stress signal forcing the individual to take corrective action through (1) cognitive change, (2) behavior change, (3) information search, or (4) a comparator operation. Cognitive change essentially involves employing one of the following three coping strategies: (1) self‐concept differentiation, (2) self‐concept compartmentalization, or (3) self‐concept change. Behavior change involves decision making to engage in a course of action to reduce the stress. Information search involves entering into an information search cybernetic cycle having its own monitor, input, comparator, and output functions. A comparator operation involves a self‐evaluation in which the self‐perception (input) is evaluated in relation to a self‐expectancy (referent). Unfavorable self‐evaluations produce a stress signal which induces the person to engage in an output‐related operation—cognitive change, behavior change, or information search. Copyright © 1990 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.