Psychological Concepts in My BIg Fat Greek Wedding
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It is human tendency to constantly form opinions and pass judgments- on our friends, on our family, on our employers, and most importantly on ourselves. Our opinion of ourselves, or our self-esteem, impacts almost every aspect of our life, and is of profound importance to the study of social psychology. Many psychologists believe that self-esteem is a crucial factor in determining one's happiness with life, and that those suffering from low self-esteem tend to be "depressed and pessimistic about the future" (Brehm, Kassin & Fein. 2002). A prime, though fictional example of the causes and cures of low self esteem is Toula Portokalos, the main character in the hit film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". As a 30 year old single Greek woman with an unsatisfying career and an overbearing family, Toula is unhappy with her life, and doesn't hold much hope for the future. The social psychological concepts of the self-discrepancy theory, the self-awareness theory and the social comparison theory are all useful in explaining why Toula suffered from such low self-esteem, and how she was eventually able to raise her self-esteem and find happiness with her life.
One of the foremost reasons Toula suffers from low self-esteem can be explained by the self-discrepancy theory proposed by psychologist E. Tory Higgins in 1989. Higgins suggests that there are three selves- our actual self, our ought self and our ideal self...