Organization of the Self-Concept

Question 1

What is self-complexity?

Answer 1

• people’s self-concepts differ in number of self-aspects and degree to which these self-aspects are distinct from each other

Question 2

What is high self-complexity?

Answer 2

• many self-aspects that are relatively distinct from each other

Question 3

What is low self-complexity?

Answer 3

• few self-aspects that have a high degree of overlap with each other

Question 4

What are the implication of self-complexity?

Answer 4

• affective spillover
• affective extremity for low self-complexity
• high self-complexity as a stress buffer

Question 5

What is affective spillover?

Answer 5

• because of links between self-aspects and spreading activation, emotions associated with one self-aspect will spillover to other self-aspects

Question 6

How does affective spillover effect low self-complexity?

Answer 6

• greater spillover causes more extreme emotional reactions and changes in self-esteem
• greater variation in emotion ratings over time, more mood fluctuations

Question 7

How does affective spillover effect high self-complexity?

Answer 7

• less spillover allows for more emotional stability
• mood barely fluctuates over time
• buffers against negative effects of stress

Question 8

Why is there mixed evidence for high self-complexity as a stress buffer?

Answer 8

• differences in well-being measure
• differences in definition of self-complexity (number of self-aspects (positive) vs. degree of distinction (none))
• integration of self-aspects matters (clear and coherent sense of self)

Question 9

What is self-concept clarity?

Answer 9

• extent to which the contents of the self-concept are clearly defined, consistent with each other, and stable over time
• extent to which you feel like you know who you are

Question 10

What does it look like when someone is high in self-complexity but low in self-concept clarity?

Answer 10

• many different self-aspects
• lacking in clarity, consistency, and coherence between these different self-aspects

Question 11

What does it look like when someone is low in self-complexity but high in self-concept clarity?

Answer 11

• few self- aspects
• high degree of clarity, consistency, and coherence between these self-aspects

Question 12

What is high self-concept clarity associated with?

Answer 12

important for well-being
- More emotional stability
- 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

• fewer negative emotions at the start of covid
• more adaptive responses during times of intense uncertainty/stress (cope better)

Question 13

What factors influence self-concept clarity?

Answer 13

• age
• changes to social roles
• how positive person feels about role change

Question 14

How does age influence self-concept clarity?

Answer 14

• self-concept clarity increases until around mid life then declines (probably because of a lot of changes)

Question 15

How does role change influence self-concept clarity?

Answer 15

• self-concept clarity depends on amount of self-change and how positive the person feels about the change
• if feel positively about change, no relationship between amount of self-change and SCC
• if feel less positive, more social change associated with less SCC (more self-concept confusion)