Perception of self is an important aspect while understanding who we are and Self concept is crucial in developing an identity or self schema . Self concept is a continuous process as it changes with age and experiences. we tend to use the memories or events from the past to create an awareness of the self and  likely to comprehend ourselves through observing the perception of ourselves by others in the society. People are mostly oblivious of their internal cues and feelings  and are often interpreted by perceiving a particular behavior to a certain situation.

 

There are many social and psychological factors that influence the self concept such as gender, culture, relationships etc. According to social comparison theory, when there is an uncertainty in any action, People tend to compare with others from a relatively similar environment. This makes the influence of culture important in understanding self concept. There are some who upholds an individualistic attitude and others who are more connected to the values of the culture. But as whole, people are culturally divided due to their shared experiences and has an important part in creating an identity.

 

We are now living in a more westernized culture where people upholds an individualistic point of view. Culture has brought about many stereotypic views but the westernization has created a sophisticated approach where each individual have became their own benchmark. Our culture roots back to what our older generations has passed on to us and it greatly influence our identity. As today due to the advent of media and other modes it created a cross culture which facilitates a deeper understanding  of other cultures apart from ours thus enabling us to appreciate more on the people and respect their beliefs. A culture is not made but formed through many shared values and thus it is essential to understand them to increase the perspective about ourselves.