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Defining and Measuring Self-Concept Change

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Abstract

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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Eastern Kentucky University, 127 Cammack Building, 521 Lancaster Ave., Richmond, KY, 40475, USA

    Jonathan S. Gore

  2. Iowa State University, Ames, USA

    Susan E. Cross

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  1. Jonathan S. Gore
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  2. Susan E. Cross
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Correspondence to Jonathan S. Gore.

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Gore, J.S., Cross, S.E. Defining and Measuring Self-Concept Change. Psychol Stud 56, 135–141 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12646-011-0067-0

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