L03 - The Organization of the Self-Concept Flashcards
How is self-knowledge organized? (self-complexity, self-concept clarity) Why does the organization of self-knowledge matter?
What is self-complexity?
People’s self-concepts differ in:
1. # of self-aspects (attributes, roles, relationships, goals, etc.)
2. Degree to which these self-aspects are distinct from each other
High self-complexity: many self-aspects that are relatively distinct from each other
Low self-complexity: few self-aspects that have a high degree of overlap with each other
What are the implications of self-complexity?
Affective spillover
Affective extremity for low self-complexity
High self-complexity as a stress buffer
What is affective spillover?
(one of the implications of self-complexity)
Because the links between self-aspects and spreading activation, emotions associated with one self-aspect will “spillover” to other self-aspects
More affective spillover for people with low self-complexity
- because of high degree of overlap/links between self-aspects
What is affect extremity?
(one of the implications for self-complexity)
Low self-complexity: Greater spillover causes more extreme emotional reactions and changes in self-esteem
- in response to both negative and positive life events
High self-complexity: less spillover allows for more emotional stability
Describe Linville’s study on spillover and affective extremity.
(study 1)
How does self-complexity affect the relationship between failure and emotional reactions?
Methods:
- self-complexity measured via trait sort
- Experimental manipulation: participants given bogus success/failure feedback from analytic task
- current (state) mood and self-esteem assessed
low self-complexity showed largest change in mood and self-esteem folllowing failure/success feedback
- evidence of spillover and affective extremity
Describe Linville’s study on mood fluctuation/
Is low self-complexity also associated with more variation in mood over time?
Method: field study to look at swings in emotions over 2 weeks
- self-complexity measured using trait sort
- participants completed daily emotion diary for 14 days
Results: low self-complexity associated with greater variation in emotion ratings over time
- i.e., more fluctuation in mood over time
How does self-complexity work as a stress buffer?
(one of the implications of self-complexity)
High self-complexity may serve as a buffer against negative consequences of stressful life events
- may explain why some people are more resilient in the face of stress
Describe Linville’s study of stress buffering.
Does high self-complexity protect against the negative health effects of stress?
Method: Measured the following at baseline and again 2 weeks later
- self-complexity using trait sort
- stressful events experienced by studnet (e.g., finances, employment, accidents, living situation)
- indicators of negative health consequences:
– depression
– perceived stress
– illness symptoms
Results: Following stressful events, people high in self-complexity (vs. low in self-complexity) showed:
- Less depression
- Less perceived stress
- Fewer physical symptoms of illness (including flu)
- No difference in # of stressful events experienced between low and high self-complexity people
Evidence that self-complexity buffers against negative effects of stress
- resilience and vulnerability to stress-related depression and illness due in part to self-complexity
What is the existing mixed evidence for self-complexity as a stress buffer?
Review of 24 studies examining buffering effects of self-complexity
- 7 studies support stress buffering hypothesis
- 4 found reverse
- rest didn’t show any effect
Why are there mixed evidence of stress buffering?
- Differences in well-being measure (dependent variable)
- positive effect of self-complexity on mood and emotional stability but more mixed results when measuring self-esteem or depression - One part of definition of self-complexity is more important than the other (independent variable)
- # of self-aspects –> positive effect on well-being
- degree of distinction between self-aspects –> no effect on well-being - Integration of self-aspects also matters
- Having high self-complexity (many self-aspects) may only be helpful if self-aspects are well-integrated into a clear and coherent sense of self
- if someone has many self-aspects BUT has unclear, incoherent sense of self (doesn’t know how to integrate these different self-aspects), then high self-complexity may lead to confusion about self
What is Self-Concept Clarity (SCC)?
Extent to which the contents of the self-concept are:
- clearly defined
- consistent with each other
- stable
Reflects the extent to which you feel like you know who you are
Compare SCC and Self-Complexity.
SCC is unrelated to self-complexity
A person could be high in self-complexity but low in SCC
- many different self-aspects but lacking in clarity, consistency, and coherence between these different self-aspects
A person could be low in self-complexity but high in SCC
- few self-aspects but high degree of clarity, consistency and coherence between these self-aspects
How does SCC relate to well-being?
high SCC is associated with:
- less neuroticism
- less rumination about the self
- less loneliness
- lower feelings of depression and perceived stress
- higher self-esteem
- higher perception of meaning in life
- higher general life-satisfaction
Suggests that SCC is important for well-being
Describe the SCC and COVID-19 study by Alessandri et al., 2021
Is SCC a protective factor that promotes more adaptive responses during times of uncertainty?
Method: longitudinal daily diary study during COVID-19 outbreak in Italy in March 2020
- monitored negative emotions
- measured SCC
on average, high SCC people experienced fewer negative emotions compared to low SCC people
not only is SCC important for well-being, it also appears to facilitate more adaptive responses during times of intense uncertainty/stress
What factors influence SCC?
Age
Changes in social roles?
- academic/job changes
- relationship changes
- hobby changes
