The Role of Self-concept Clarity in Self-other Distinction and Consequences for Social Behavior

The Role of Self-concept Clarity in Self-other Distinction and Consequences for Social Behavior PDF Author: Sonia Krol
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
"Our sense of self is intimately intertwined with the social world around us. From the moment we are born, the formation of a self-concept critically hinges on social interactions. One important aspect of the self-concept is self-concept clarity (SCC), the extent to which the self-concept is clearly and confidently defined, internally consistent and temporally stable. Extensive research has documented the contribution of social processes to creating and maintaining a clear and coherent sense of self. Importantly, research has also documented a positive contribution of a clear self-concept to a variety of social phenomena and a negative contribution of an unclear sense of self to social functioning. Although research has consistently shown that SCC contributes to social process, the reasons why this association exists remain poorly understood. I hypothesized that self-other distinction, the ability to differentiate between one’s own experience and another person’s experience, may be one important mechanism underlying this relationship. Given that empathy is central to social functioning, Article 1 examines the role of SCC in empathy to understand the positive links between a clear sense of self and social processes and investigates self-other distinction as a mediator of this relationship. Across three studies, Article 1 demonstrates that SCC is important for empathy. Specifically, low SCC was associated with higher dispositional empathic personal distress, a self-focused aversive reaction in empathy-inducing situations that often leads to withdrawing from the person in need, and lower dispositional empathic concern, an other-oriented response of care. These associations held when participants were confronted with an actual person in need. Moreover, low SCC was also associated with less helping behaviour, an effect that was mediated by empathic personal distress and empathic concern. Importantly, difficulties with self-other distinction mediated the association between SCC and personal distress. Article 2 probes the association between SCC and self-other distinction more deeply by examining if low SCC individuals’ difficulties with conceptual self-other distinction extend to difficulties with self-other distinction in their bodily experiences. Across two studies, Article 2 demonstrates that low SCC is associated with difficulties with bodily self-other distinction as indicated by low SCC individuals’ greater susceptibility to body illusions. Taken together, this doctoral dissertation shows that SCC is important for empathy and conversely, that low SCC has detrimental consequences for empathic responding. Moreover, this association appears to be mediated by insufficient distinction between self and other representations. Finally, in addition to having difficulties with self-other distinction at a conceptual level, low SCC people appear to have difficulties with self-other distinction at a body level. Given that much of social cognition and behaviour relies on some degree of self-other distinction, this research suggests that self-other distinction may be one possible mechanism underlying the positive link between SCC and social processes more generally. Moreover, these findings have important implications for understanding possible sources of self-concept confusion"--

Self-Concept Clarity

Self-Concept Clarity PDF Author: Jennifer Lodi-Smith
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 331971547X
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 270

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Book Description
This welcome resource traces the evolution of self-concept clarity and brings together diverse strands of research on this important and still-developing construct. Locating self-concept clarity within current models of personality, identity, and the self, expert contributors define the construct and its critical roles in both individual and collective identity and functioning. The book examines commonly-used measures for assessing clarity, particularly in relation to the more widely understood concept of self-esteem, with recommendations for best practices in assessment. In addition, a wealth of current data highlights the links between self-concept clarity and major areas of mental wellness and dysfunction, from adaptation and leadership to body image issues and schizophrenia. Along the way, it outlines important future directions in research on self-concept clarity. Included in the coverage: Situating self-concept clarity in the landscape of personality. Development of self-concept clarity across the lifespan. Self-concept clarity and romantic relationships. Who am I and why does it matter? Linking personal identity and self-concept clarity. Consequences of self-concept clarity for well-being and motivation. Self-concept clarity and psychopathology. Self-Concept Clarity fills varied theoretical, empirical, and practical needs across mental health fields, and will enhance the work of academics, psychologists interested in the construct as an area of research, and clinicians working with clients struggling with developing and improving their self-concept clarity.

The Self in Social Judgment

The Self in Social Judgment PDF Author: Mark D. Alicke
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 113542344X
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 361

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Book Description
The volume begins with a historical overview of the self in social judgment and outlines the major issues. Subsequent chapters, all written by leading experts in their respective areas, identify and elaborate four major themes regarding the self in social judgment: · the role of the self as an information source for evaluating others, or what has been called 'social projection' · the assumption of personal superiority as reflected in the pervasive tendency for people to view their characteristics more favorably than those of others · the role of the self as a comparison standard from or toward which other people's behaviors and attributes are assimilated or contrasted · the relative weight people place on the individual and collective selves in defining their attributes and comparing them to those of other people

Self-Esteem

Self-Esteem PDF Author: Roy F. Baumeister
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1468489569
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 278

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Book Description
Summarizing and integrating the major empirical research of the past twenty years, this volume presents a thorough review of the subject, with a special focus on what sets people with low self-esteem apart from others. As the subject is central to the understanding of personality, mental health, and social adjustment, this work will be appreciated by professionals and advanced students in the fields of personality, social, clinical, and organizational psychology.

The Oxford Handbook of Social Cognition

The Oxford Handbook of Social Cognition PDF Author: Donal E. Carlston
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199730016
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 967

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Book Description
This handbook provides a comprehensive review of social cognition, ranging from its history and core research areas to its relationships with other fields. The 43 chapters included are written by eminent researchers in the field of social cognition, and are designed to be understandable and informative to readers with a wide range of backgrounds.

Encyclopedia of Adolescence

Encyclopedia of Adolescence PDF Author: Roger J.R. Levesque
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1441916946
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 3161

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Book Description
The Encyclopedia of Adolescence breaks new ground as an important central resource for the study of adolescence. Comprehensive in breath and textbook in depth, the Encyclopedia of Adolescence – with entries presented in easy-to-access A to Z format – serves as a reference repository of knowledge in the field as well as a frequently updated conduit of new knowledge long before such information trickles down from research to standard textbooks. By making full use of Springer’s print and online flexibility, the Encyclopedia is at the forefront of efforts to advance the field by pushing and creating new boundaries and areas of study that further our understanding of adolescents and their place in society. Substantively, the Encyclopedia draws from four major areas of research relating to adolescence. The first broad area includes research relating to "Self, Identity and Development in Adolescence". This area covers research relating to identity, from early adolescence through emerging adulthood; basic aspects of development (e.g., biological, cognitive, social); and foundational developmental theories. In addition, this area focuses on various types of identity: gender, sexual, civic, moral, political, racial, spiritual, religious, and so forth. The second broad area centers on "Adolescents’ Social and Personal Relationships". This area of research examines the nature and influence of a variety of important relationships, including family, peer, friends, sexual and romantic as well as significant nonparental adults. The third area examines "Adolescents in Social Institutions". This area of research centers on the influence and nature of important institutions that serve as the socializing contexts for adolescents. These major institutions include schools, religious groups, justice systems, medical fields, cultural contexts, media, legal systems, economic structures, and youth organizations. "Adolescent Mental Health" constitutes the last major area of research. This broad area of research focuses on the wide variety of human thoughts, actions, and behaviors relating to mental health, from psychopathology to thriving. Major topic examples include deviance, violence, crime, pathology (DSM), normalcy, risk, victimization, disabilities, flow, and positive youth development.

Selfhood

Selfhood PDF Author: Rick Hoyle
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000311236
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 189

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Book Description
This text provides an integrative survey of the burgeoning social-psychological literature on the self. By way of an introduction, the authors establish the intellectual climate that gave rise to contemporary perspectives on the self and integrate early and more recent research on the structure of the self. The core of the text surveys the literatu

The Self-system

The Self-system PDF Author: Annerieke Oosterwegel
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 1134773226
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 200

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Book Description
This book presents a longitudinal study dealing with developmental changes within and between self-concepts and their relation to personal functioning. Within the psychological literature -- and the developmental literature in particular -- the interest in the ideas people hold about themselves and their relation with personal functioning is rapidly growing. This interest is reinforced by the emphasis on individuality in Western society. The self-system is now thought to consist of a collection of self-concepts in which a distinction is made between domain-specific self-concepts -- the real and ideal -- and context-related self-concepts -- the academic, the athletic and the social. It is also considered to be subjective rather than objective. This subjective self involves characteristics such as continuity and distinctiveness from others. These characteristics have been the primary focus of recent research. In existing literature on the development of the self-system, little is known about the structural characteristics -- that is, developmental changes in the interrelationships among domain-specific and context-related self-concepts, or between and within self-concepts. Similarly, little information is available about the relationships between individuals' real and ideal self concepts, their perceived concepts of others, and the actual ideas others have about the same individuals. This book integrates hitherto separate and different components or aspects of self-knowledge into one encompassing, multidimensional self-system.

Self Continuity

Self Continuity PDF Author: Fabio Sani
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 1135599297
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 290

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Book Description
This volume is the first to bring together the fast-growing research on self-continuity from multiple perspectives within and beyond social psychology. The book covers individual and collective aspects of self-continuity, while a final section explores the relationship between these two forms. Topics include environmental and cultural influences on self-continuity; the interplay of autobiographical memory and personal self-continuity; the psychological function of self-continuity; personal and collective self-continuity; and resistance to change. The volume is rounded off with commentaries on the central issues and themes that have been discussed. The book provides a unique sourcebook for this important topic and will appeal not only to upper-level students and researchers in social psychology, but, in view of the multiple perspectives represented in the volume, it will also appeal to cognitive, developmental, and personality psychologists.

The Social Self

The Social Self PDF Author: David Bakhurst
Publisher: SAGE Publications Limited
ISBN:
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 200

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Book Description
Much discussion in recent years has centred on the status of the self, identity and subjectivity in the light of powerful arguments about the social origins of personhood. The Social Self presents many dimensions of the debate, spanning psychology, philosophy, politics and feminist theory, and provides a critical overview of the key themes involved. The internationally renowned contributors examine the senses in which we are `social selves' whose very identities are intimately bound up with the communities and cultures in which we live. Drawing on Wittgenstein, Marx, Foucault, Bakhtin, Gilligan and MacIntyre, among others, the chapters show the diversity of influences that have shaped this exciting and controversial