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Structure and Validity of Self-Concept Clarity Measures

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Self-Concept Clarity

Abstract

We examine the structure and validity of existing measures of self-concept clarity (SCC). We document six different measurement strategies that have been employed in the self-concept clarity literature, review existing research on their relationships with each other and with self-esteem, and present in-progress research designed to examine their structure and validity. We conclude that these measures largely reflect different constructs and that they demonstrate distinct patterns of relationships with criteria previously examined in the self-concept clarity literature. Further, we examine incremental validity over self-esteem, noting that measures of self-concept clarity demonstrate considerably weaker relationships with criteria once self-esteem is controlled for in the analyses. We discuss measurement of self-concept clarity, placing special emphasis on understanding potentially diverse measures of SCC-related constructs, the role of self-esteem in self-concept clarity research, and potential cultural boundedness of extant assessment strategies.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Self-evaluation ambivalence is not typically used as a measure of clarity, but it does share some conceptual overlap with the content of the SCCS (see DeMarree & Morrison, 2012)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA

    Kenneth G. DeMarree & Miranda E. Bobrowski

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  1. Kenneth G. DeMarree
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  2. Miranda E. Bobrowski
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Correspondence to Kenneth G. DeMarree .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychological Sciences and Institute for Autism Research, Canisius College, Buffalo, New York, USA

    Jennifer Lodi-Smith

  2. Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, New York, USA

    Kenneth G. DeMarree

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DeMarree, K.G., Bobrowski, M.E. (2017). Structure and Validity of Self-Concept Clarity Measures. In: Lodi-Smith, J., DeMarree, K. (eds) Self-Concept Clarity. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71547-6_1

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