self image

This term describes the internal psychological perception of oneself, often blending objective facts with subjective emotional interpretations. It is frequently used in psychological, therapeutic, and self-help contexts to discuss how a person's view of their identity influences their behavior and mental well-being.

While often used interchangeably with self-esteem, self-image refers specifically to the descriptive mental picture (who I am), whereas self-esteem refers to the evaluative judgment of that picture (how I feel about who I am). A person can have a realistic self-image but low self-esteem, or a distorted self-image that leads to high confidence.