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EFFECTS OF SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS ON SELF- AND OTHER-MEANINGFULNESS AND DIFFERENTIATION WITHIN THE PERSONAL CONSTRUCT SYSTEM
Abstract
The present study was based upon a theoretical integration of the areas of self- and other-construal, from a personal construct theory perspective. Examined were the relative degree of meaningfulness and differentiation of construal of self and others within the person's construct system, based upon individual differences in self-consciousness. Self-consciousness factors, as measured by Fenigstein, Scheier, and Buss's (1975) Self-Consciousness Scale, involve tendencies to seek out information about oneself either through monitoring internal processes (private self-consciousness) or the reactions of others to oneself (public self-consciousness). Self- and other-meaningfulness and differentiation were measured through the use of repertory grid measures. Subjects rated self and others in different life contexts on the same personal construct dimensions, allowing for a contextually-based examination of self/other rating differences. It was predicted that private self-consciousness would be related to greater self-meaningfulness, and public self-consciousness to greater meaningfulness for others. It was also predicted that since public self-consciousness involves attending to others, the effects of this variable would be more marked when the person rated was more contextually-relevant. Neither of these predictions were confirmed. A third prediction was that private self-consciousness would be related to greater self-differentiation within the construct system. Public self-consciousness, alternatively, would be related to greater construed similarity between self and others, particularly as the contextual-relevance of the other person increased. This prediction was also not confirmed. Given the complexity of analyzing such construal processes simultaneously, a number of methodological issues were raised. In particular, it remains possible that the failure of the present study is due to a too molar level of analysis. Future research will be aimed at examining self/other construal differences, for example, across theoretically relevant subsets of an individual's construct dimensions, rather than across the entire set as was done in the present study.
Subject Area
Personality
Recommended Citation
SCHMITTDIEL, CHARLES JOSEPH, "EFFECTS OF SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS ON SELF- AND OTHER-MEANINGFULNESS AND DIFFERENTIATION WITHIN THE PERSONAL CONSTRUCT SYSTEM" (1985). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8521476.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8521476