Drama Education and Development of Self: Myth or Reality?

This study is an investigation into personal development and drama education where the constructs of self-concept, self-discrepancy and role-taking ability were considered in the light of an in-school role play-based drama program. The 123 subjects from 5 different classes drawn from provincial city and rural village schools with a mean age of 11.5 years were the participants in this investigation. The subjects were pre-tested using the Chandler Story Task on role-taking ability; the Self-Discrepancy Questionnaire for self-discrepancy; the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (Revised) for vocabulary, and the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scales for self-concept. The subjects were then tested following the completion of a 10-week drama program. Results indicated a significant growth in role-taking ability, vocabulary and an improvement in self-concept. Further analysis revealed significant correlations between self-discrepancy, self-concept and vocabulary. Role-taking did not appear to be correlated with self-concept, self-discrepancy and vocabulary. Attention is drawn to the rural-provincial city differences with an “enriched” environment being suggested as an important determinant. The study supports the use of drama in schools as a means of personal and social development.     

Fearing,not loving,the reflection: Narcissism,self-esteem,and self-discrepancy theory

This study used self-discrepancy theory to explore self-esteem and narcissism. College students (N = 450) completed measures of self-discrepancy, affect, self-esteem, and narcissism. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses found that self-discrepancies explained variance in self-esteem and narcissism beyond that explained by affect. Results also indicated that the actual-ideal and actual-undesired self-discrepancies predicted self-esteem, while the actual-undesired self-discrepancy was the only significant predictor of narcissism. This study provides evidence of incremental validity for self-discrepancies in measuring self-esteem and narcissism. It also suggests that narcissism is associated with an undesired, not an ideal, self-concept.     

Self-concept and perception of early mother and father behavior in normal and antisocial adolescents

This study examines the self-concept and perceptions of early parental behavior in a group of 277 normal adolescents with respect to differences in age (12-18 years) and gender. A group of 30 antisocial adolescents of similar age (13-19 years) were included as a comparison group. The study was a cross-sectional questionnaire study and the Swedish translation of the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB) introject and mother/father questionnaires were used as measures of self- and parental concepts. Multivariate analyses of variance show that the normal adolescent self-concept and perception of early parental behavior are positive and that there are no age or gender differences. The early behavior of the mother is perceived more positively than that of the father. A positive self-concept is related to a positive perception of the parent's early behavior. The antisocial group of adolescents shows a more autonomous and negative self-concept and more negative perception of early parental behaviors. This was true especially in the group of antisocial girls. The conclusion from the study is that there is no evidence of a chaotic self-concept or tumultuous changes in the perceptions of early parental behavior during normal adolescence, but that an antisocial way of life might be reflected in a more negative and autonomous self-concept and in more negative perceptions of early parental behavior during adolescence.     

College students' self-discrepancy on the Internet, from the perspectives of desktop practices, self-control, and academic training

The self-discrepancy theory argues that perceived discrepancy between one's actual self and ideal self may induce anxiety, and that this in turn may motivate people to reduce or eliminate this perceived discrepancy by changing their behaviors. Based on this theory, this study investigated how college students perceived discrepancies between their actual and their reported ideal uses of the Internet. Their Internet use was examined on three levels: the grand level (i.e., hours spent online per week), the activity level (i.e., hours spent engaging in certain online activities per week), and the tool level (i.e., hours spent using certain Internet tools per week). Three particular factors were also selected for investigation: the participants' different desktop practices, levels of academic training, and exertions of self-control. The results indicate that the participants' perceptions of actual versus ideal discrepancies were shaped by the different levels (i.e., grand, activity, tool) of their Internet use. Additionally, this study shows that perceived self-discrepancy relating to the time that college students spend on the Internet may not be a problem in itself, but it may symbolize more profound psychological or behavioral factors that need to be addressed.     

Gender Role Self-Concept and Gender-Typed Communication Behavior in Mixed-Sex and Same-Sex Dyads

The focus of this study was the relation between both gender role self-concept and gender role attitudes with gender-related behavior of interacting partners. We observed gender-typed communication behaviors of mixed-sex and same-sex dyads and measured gender role self-concept and gender role attitudes. Thirty mixed-sex dyads, 19 women dyads, and 15 men dyads participated in a behavior observation study. The results revealed that the activation of gender role self-concept varies depending on the gender of the interacting people. Furthermore, we found that context and gender of the interacting persons moderated the relation between self-concept and behavior. Participants' gender role attitudes did not correlate with their own behaviors but did with their partners' behaviors.     

CAN THE MEDIA AFFECT US? SOCIAL COMPARISON, SELF-DISCREPANCY, AND THE THIN IDEAL

The current study explored body image self-discrepancy as moderator and social comparison as mediator in the effects on women from thin-ideal images in the media. Female undergraduates ( N = 112) with high and low body image self-discrepancy were exposed to advertisements either with thin women (thin ideal) or without thin women (neutral-advertisement control). Exposure to thin-ideal advertisements increased body dissatisfaction, negative mood, and levels of depression and lowered self-esteem. In addition, social comparison processes mediated the relationship between exposure to thin-ideal advertisements and negative self-directed effects. Notably, self-discrepancy moderated this mediation. Women with high levels of body image self-discrepancy were more likely to engage in social comparison from exposure to thin-ideal advertisements, as well as more likely to have those comparison processes induce self-directed negative consequences. This research provides support for an individual difference variable (body image self-discrepancy) that moderates the mediating effect of social comparison from exposure to thin-ideal media.     

Effects of A Training Program on Teacher Behavior and Handicapped Children's Self-Concepts

The purpose of this research was to assess the effectiveness of the revised Utah State University Self-Concept Protocol Program in changing teacher behaviors presumed to be related to pupil self-concept. This program was focused on teachers with handicapped pupils in mainstreamed classrooms (grades 4 through 6). Ten volunteer teachers were trained in the self-concept behaviors as part of an inservice course. Eight additional volunteer teachers served as a no-treatment control group. Program-related teacher behaviors were observed and a pupil self-concept measure was administered before and after the inservice course. Results indicated that, although no changes occurred in program-related behaviors for the control group teachers, experimental group teachers showed significant increases on six of the 12 program-related behaviors. No gains in self-concept were made by handicapped children; however, there was some evidence for differential effectiveness of the program for learning disabled and emotionally handicapped children.     

Social Structure, Self-Conception and Well-Being: An Examination of Four Models with Unemployed People

A cross-sectional questionnaire design ( n = 88) was used to investigate the relationship between social structure, self-conception and well-being. Distinctions were drawn between public and private self-esteem and, within private self-esteem, between self-evaluation and self-affection. Significantly poorer public and private self-esteem scores were observed for unemployed subjects than for an employed control group. The predictions of four accounts of psychological well-being/distress that draw upon these self-concept dimensions were tested. Results supported symbolic interactionist and self-discrepancy theory and, to a lesser extent, self-enhancement theory. No support was found for a self-verification theory approach. Implications of the study for social psychological research on the consequences of unemployment and for accounts of negative affect are outlined.     

Playing to their strengths: Can focusing on typical in-group strengths be detrimental to people of colour?

With increasing awareness about racism, portrayals of communities of colour are shifting away from negative representations. Emphasizing their strengths could counter negative stereotypes about who they are and low expectations for who they can be, but could also backfire. In two experiments centring adolescents (n = 198) and adults of colour (n = 321), the effect of reflecting on a typical strength was moderated by perceived misalignments between racial/ethnic and ideal future selves (i.e., ethnic–ideal self-discrepancy). For participants perceiving them as aligned, reflecting on a typical in-group strength reduced actual–ideal self-discrepancy. However, for participants perceiving them as misaligned, reflecting on a typical in-group strength increased actual–ideal self-discrepancy. Reflecting on a typical strength also indirectly influenced engagement, through actual–ideal self-discrepancy. Reflecting on an atypical in-group strength did not yield significant effects. Thus, emphasizing typical aspects of stigmatized communities, even when positive, sometimes impede identity and motivation.     

Role Breadth Self-Efficacy and Foci of Proactive Behavior: Moderating Role of Collective,Relational, and Individual Self-Concept

This study aims to identify the interactive effect of role breadth self-efficacy (RBSE) and the three levels of self-concept (collective, relational, and individual) in predicting of different foci of proactive behaviors. Results from 259 matched responses from an airline company in Taiwan showed that RBSE had a positive effect on (1) pro-organizational proactive behavior among those with higher collective self-concept, (2) pro-supervisor proactive behavior among those with higher relational self-concept, and (3) pro-self proactive behavior among those with higher individual self-concept. Our findings provide insights into the moderating role of different levels of self-concept on RBSE-proactive behavior process in terms of specific targets or beneficiaries. Further implications for organizational research and practice are discussed.     

Antecedent exercise as a treatment for disruptive behavior: Testing hypothesized mechanisms of action

This study evaluated the effects of antecedent physical exercise (AE) and a mastery task on behaviorally disturbed children's self-concepts and rates of disruptive behaviors. In addition, we evaluated whether changes in self-concept mediated any exercise induced changes in rates of disruptive behavior. Fifty-eight children were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) antecedent exercise (jog/walk), (b) “mastery” task (a successive improvement miniaturebasketball shooting task), and (c) no treatment control group. A week of baseline was followed by 4 weeks of treatment and, finally another week of return to baseline. Results indicated that: (a) AE produced significantly less disruptive behavior than no treatment, (b) the “Mastery” task did not produce significantly less disruptive behavior than no treatment, (c) neither treatment produced increases in self-concept relative to no treatment, and (d) changes in self-concept did not mediate AE induced reductions in disruptive behaviors.     

自我差异对消费者产品属性选择偏好的影响

自我是一个人所持有的关于自我特征的信念,不同的理想和现实自我差异可能带来不同的消费选择。本研究以在校大学生作为被试,通过阅读不同的理想与现实自我材料,启动被试的理想与现实的自我差异,考察其对消费者产品属性选择偏好的影响。结果发现：现实与理想自我差异小的被试,更偏好享乐属性强的产品;现实与理想自我差异大的被试,更偏好功能属性强的产品。     

Parenting stress, perceived parenting behaviors, and adolescent self-concept in European American families

This study assesses whether the stresses associated with parenting a child are indirectly related to adolescent self-concept through parenting behaviors. We examined longitudinal associations among mothers' and fathers' parenting stress at age 10, children's perceptions of parenting at age 10, and adolescents' self-concept at age 14 in 120 European American families. Mothers' and fathers' parenting stress was related to children's perceptions of acceptance and psychologically controlling behavior, and psychologically controlling behavior (and lax control for fathers) was related to adolescent self-concept. We further examined which domains of parenting stress and perceived parenting behaviors were associated with adolescents' scholastic competence, social acceptance, physical appearance, and behavioral conduct. Parenting stress was related to specific parenting behaviors, which were, in turn, related to specific domains of self-concept in adolescence. Parenting stress appears to exert its effects on early adolescent self-concept indirectly through perceived parenting behavior.     

SMOKING AND SELF-CONCEPT IN YOUNG ADULTS: AN IDIOGRAPHIC METHOD OF MEASUREMENT

An idiographic repertory grid method of measuring self-concept was used in a nomothetic design to study the relation between smoking behavior and four components of self-concept: real self, ideal self, social self, and ideal social self. Personal constructs were elicited from 32 smoker and 32 nonsmoker male and female college students. Differences between smokers and nonsmokers on all four components of self-concept supported the criterion-related validity of the measures. Implications were discussed for the assessment method and clinical practice.     

Behavioral Problems and Reading Difficulties Among Language Minority and Monolingual Urban Elementary School Students

This study examined the potentially compounding effect of language minority (LM) status on problem behaviors among urban second and third grade-level poor readers. Univariate analyses showed that a disproportionate percentage of both LM and English monolingual (L1) poor readers already displayed clinically significant levels of anxiety, social problems, and oppositional behaviors in the classroom. Analyses of variance, however, demonstrated that LM status was not an additive risk factor for reading difficulties, behavior problems, or lowered self-concept in this sample. No differences were observed between LM and L1 students on a wide range of reading measures, on their teachers’ ratings of internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors in the classroom, or on self-ratings of self-efficacy and social competence. Implications for intervention for all urban students with reading difficulties are discussed.     

大学生的职业自我概念清晰度与抑郁的关系:性别与性别平等观的调节作用

尽管抑郁的影响因素得到了比较多的探讨,但是鲜有研究探讨职业自我概念清晰度与抑郁的关系以及性别和性别平等观在其中的作用。根据生涯发展理论和自我差异理论,本研究探讨了大学生职业自我概念清晰度与大学生抑郁的关系,并考察了性别和性别平等观在二者关系之间的调节作用。通过对463份大学生的数据进行实证分析发现：（1）职业自我概念清晰度与大学生抑郁负相关;（2）职业自我概念清晰度与抑郁的关系存在显著的性别差异;（3）职业自我概念清晰度、性别和性别平等观对大学生抑郁存在三重交互作用。当个体持有高性别平等观时,男性和女性的职业自我概念清晰度都与抑郁负相关。当个体的性别平等观较低时,女性的职业自我概念清晰度与抑郁正相关。研究结果对于大学生的职业发展和心理健康教育具有重要实践意义。     

Self-concept and academic achievement: a meta-analysis of longitudinal relations

The relation between self-concept and academic achievement was examined in 39 independent and longitudinal samples through the integration of meta-analysis and path analysis procedures. For relations with more than 3 independent samples, the mean observed correlations ranged from .20 to .27 between prior self-concept and subsequent academic achievement and from .19 to .25 between prior academic achievement and subsequent self-concept. Globality/specificity of self-concept was the only significant moderating factor in the relation between (a) prior self-concept and subsequent academic achievement and (b) prior academic achievement and subsequent self-concept. As high self-concept is related to high academic performance and vice-versa, intervention programs that combine self-enhancement and skill development should be integrated.     

Always looking for a moral identity: The moral licensing effect in men convicted of domestic violence

People who act in accord with moral standards enjoy a strong moral self-concept, but people with a strong moral concept do not always behave morally: sometimes they exhibit consistent behaviors and sometimes compensatory behaviors. Through two studies, this paper shows that people who do wrong enjoy a stronger moral self-concept and regulate their moral behavior accordingly. Specifically, men in court-mandated psychological treatment for having employed violence against their partners manage to preserve a very positive moral self-concept. They also exhibit moral self-regulation: when prompted to consider their high moral self-concepts, they recalled performing significantly more prosocial behaviors in the previous year (consistency effect), and immediately following this, they relaxed their future intentions to act in prosocial manners over the next year (licensing effect). This novel connection between intimate partner violence and moral regulation allows us to observe the dark side of feeling too moral in a sensitive sample.