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Cognitive-Experiential Self-Theory

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Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences

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Introduction

The cognitive experiential self-theory (CEST) is an information processing theory developed by Seymour Epsteinthat explains ways in which people perceive and incorporate information to make decisions. CEST is categorized as a theory of personality and suggests that people process information through two distinct systems: a conscious rational system and an unconscious experiential system. It is the combination of these two systems across patterns of behavior and thought that essentially lead to the development of a person’s attitudes, behavior, and ultimately personality, and this occurs within one’s social context. CEST is integrated and compatible with several psychological theories such as psychodynamic, learning, phenomenological, and modern cognitive theories of psychology. Similar to many dual process theories, CEST includes a system based on deliberate and analytical processing; however, different from other dual process theories, CEST includes an emotion-laden...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX, USA

    Jasmine V. Idrogo & Logan A. Yelderman

Authors
  1. Jasmine V. Idrogo
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  2. Logan A. Yelderman
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Correspondence to Logan A. Yelderman .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA

    Virgil Zeigler-Hill

  2. Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA

    Chris Ditzfeld

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V. Idrogo, J., Yelderman, L.A. (2020). Cognitive-Experiential Self-Theory. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24612-3_1938

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