ABSTRACT
The 'self' is made up of different interrelating components such as self-understanding, self-esteem, self-concept and self-regulation. While the self can be construed as the combination of all the traits of a person, this develops from self-understanding. Once this has been achieved then self-esteem helps to develop our self-concept. The hypercognitive system comprises self-awareness and self-regulation, as well as knowledge and strategies for self-regulation. It organises, guides and controls behaviours – a bit like a monitoring system or a programme in a computer. The relationship between self-understanding, self-concept and self-esteem is very much influenced by factors such as age and gender identity. Gender is one example of a social category that we become aware of early on in our development. Gender is a culturally defined social category used to distinguish between femininity and masculinity. The importance placed by developmentalists on understanding gender they will concentrate on this topic as an example of self-concept.
