Self and Personality | Class 12 Psychology Notes
By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 2 min read
Self and Personality – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of Self and Personality from Class 12 Psychology, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.
Concept of Self
The concept of self refers to the totality of an individual's conscious experiences, ideas, thoughts, and feelings about themselves, encompassing both personal and social dimensions. From infancy, the self develops gradually through social interactions with significant others such as parents, friends, and teachers. The self is modifiable based on experiences and interactions. Personal identity includes attributes that make a person unique, such as name, qualities, capabilities, and beliefs. Social identity links an individual to social or cultural groups, such as religion, caste, or region. The self can be understood as both subject (the actor who does) and object (the entity that is known or observed). Different kinds of self emerge, including biological self, personal self (focused on individual needs), and social or familial self (focused on relationships and group affiliation).
🧪 Activity: Activity 2.1: Understanding the Self - Completing sentences starting with 'I am' to explore self-concept.
🔗 Connection: Leads to the exploration of cognitive and behavioural aspects of self.
Frequently asked questions
Which of the following best describes the concept of 'self' in psychology?
The totality of an individual's conscious experiences, ideas, thoughts, and feelings about themselves
Complete the following sentence: When a person describes herself/himself by telling her/his name, qualities, or beliefs, s/he is revealing her/his _____ identity.
personal identity
Which statement correctly distinguishes between 'self as subject' and 'self as object'?
Self as subject is the knower or actor; self as object is the entity that is known or observed
Identify the correct pairing of self types with their primary orientation.
Personal self - oriented towards individual needs; Social self - oriented towards social relationships
Ready to ace this chapter?
Get the full Self and Personality chapter — interactive notes, diagrams, worked solutions, polls and a free practice quiz — in the ConceptScroll app.
Study smarter with ConceptScroll
Daily NCERT-aligned reels, AI doubt solving and chapter quizzes — all free.
Start learning freeContinue reading
- SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES | Class 12 Psychology Notes
Clear NCERT-aligned notes on SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES for Class 12 Psychology.
- SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES | Class 12 Psychology Notes
Clear NCERT-aligned notes on SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES for Class 12 Psychology.
- SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES | Class 12 Psychology Notes
Clear NCERT-aligned notes on SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES for Class 12 Psychology.