Within the context of psychology, ‘self’ refers to an individual’s sense of self-identity, as well as self-appraisal. It encompasses self-concept (beliefs about oneself), self-esteem (evaluation of worth), and self-awareness (consciousness regarding thoughts and patterns of behaviors).
The self is formed and develops through relational interactions, while being influenced by culture, experiences, and personal relationships. The self is dynamic as well, meaning that it tends to change as the person ages and acquires new roles in life. Research indicates that well-developed self-concept and self-identity yields positive inner-states in an individual, while the reverse may trigger depression and cognitive-identity disturbances.
Self construction may spill over to self-regulation and self-motivation, as most individual behavior is motivated by an internal compass of personal values and goals. It is personal in the sense that it provides an individual with identity, while being social as it interacts with other social constructs to provide meaning to life.