Definition: Self-concept is the image you have of yourself, including your physical appearance and personality characteristics. Many factors can influence our self-concept, including our childhood experiences, how other people respond to us, and how we relate to other people. Psychologists have suggested that there are a number of different components of self-concept, including our social behavior, physical condition, emotional awareness, family relationships, and academic performance.

Learn more about the psychology behind self-concept.

_{Image courtesy Piotr Bizior}

Humanist psychologist Carl Rogers is perhaps best known for his non-directive approach to therapy, which is known as client-centered therapy. While earlier approaches tended to focus on abnormal behavior, Rogers instead shifted his focus toward healthy behaviors and helping people fulfill their individual potential.

Rogers is also known as one of the most eminent psychologists of the twentieth-century. In one survey, Rogers was cited as the most influential figures in psychology by therapists working today. You can learn more about his views on psychology through selections from his many writings by browsing this collection of Carl Rogers quotations

Today marks 157th anniversary of the birth of Sigmund Freud. Or at least, today marks the day most frequently identified as the day Freud was born. The day on which Freud himself believed he was born. The traditional date differs from the one given in town records where he was born, which list March 6, 1856 as the correct birth date.

In an article published on the Psychology Today website, psychologist Jesse Bering described a bit of the history behind the discrepancy:

"The story goes something like this: in 1968, a researcher was surprised to discover that records from Freiburg, Moravia, the town where Freud was born, indicated Freud's birth date as being March 6. It remains unclear as to whether this discrepancy between the date celebrated as his birthday and that which is noted in the town's register is a simple clerical error or, as at least one scholar suggests, belies a more scandalous affair. Freudian historiographer Marie Balmary has argued that, despite what even Freud himself thought to be true, March 6 is in fact Freud's real birthday. Balmary alleges that Freud's parents adopted the phoney May 6 date to hide the fact that Freud's mother, Amalie, was already pregnant when she married his father Jakob."

He's been described as one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century, but he is also one of the most controversial. His life and legacy continue to fascinate, but his theories are often dismissed as outdated and unscientific. While he can be a polarizing figure in psychology history, there is no question that Freud left an indelible mark on psychology as well as other disciplines.

On the anniversary of his birth, take a moment to learn more about his life and influence.

• Freud: A Photobiography - Learn more about his life from his birth until his death in 1939.
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• Quotes by Sigmund Freud - Some of the most famous quotations from Freud's writings.
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• Fascinating Facts About Sigmund Freud - Ten things you might not have known about history's most famous psychiatrist.

_{Photo by Max Halberstadt}

If you have ever spent any time browsing forums devoted to psychology, you have probably noticed that there are a few common questions that people ask on a regular basis. In many cases, students interested in a career in psychology are the ones posing such questions. Fortunately, we have some of the answers to these frequently asked questions. Check out the links below to learn more:

• Can psychologists prescribe medications?
• What do psychologists do?
• What's the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?
• How can I become a psychologist?
• How long does it take to become a psychologist?