According to Bob Demarco, founder of Alzheimer's Reading Room. "The self is not something that one finds. It is something that one creates."
A person's perception of himself can be dependent on several factors. The opinion of others is the most common measurement of how a person sees himself. What most people do not understand however is that his identity is highly dependent on how he perceives himself. Science explains how a person's view of himself, shapes who he can become.
Parental criticism may have long-term negative effects on a child's self-esteem and self-perception, Psychology Today explained. Children who hear negative comments from parents or siblings believe what they hear and may grow up being what was told of them. According to Dr.Laurence C. Smith, Jr. PhD., psychologist, "A negative self-image is the result of repeated criticism from the important people in a child's life. The only way a child can thrive in our critical society is when a parent makes positive statements about a child's behavior and performance." A child's perception of himself can then affect his attitude and even success in life when he grows up. Children who receive negative criticsms growing up are more likely to develop negative self-perception and low self-esteem. Hence when faced with failure, they often attribute it with their inadequacy and blame themselves.
Carol Dweck, psychologist stated, "People with a fixed mindset believe that their qualities are set in stone-that intelligence and personality are permanent and unchanging. They internalize setbacks with responses like 'I'm stupid' or 'I'm a terrible salesperson.'
Social Psychologist, Amy Cuddy, gave one solution on developing a positive image of one 's self : "Fake it 'til you become it." Cuddy suggests how changing one's body posture can influence how he is perceived by others, but more importantly affects how a person sees himself. Hence, "power posing" as how Cuddy called it, may not only change a viewer's interpretation of one but may also boost a person's self-confidence.
