Defining and Measuring Self-Concept Change

The self-concept and the manners by which it changes are two of the most important, and challenging, areas of psychological study. In this review, we define the self-concept as a multifaceted psychological construct, composed of a variety of characteristics. People with low self-esteem, incremental theorists, self-monitors, and people with a high uncertainty orientation and relational self-construal are mentioned as some of the types of people who are likely to undergo change. Various approaches to measuring the self-concept and investigating it across cultures are also discussed. Recommendations for future research include utilizing an intraclass correlation coefficient measure of change, and accounting for context-specific self-definitions in several cultures.