Self-concept and self-esteem: How the content of the self-concept reveals sources and functions of self-esteem
The relations of content of self-concept to self-esteem may reflect the role of different factors in developing self-esteem. On the basis of theories describing sources of self-esteem, we distinguished four domains of self-beliefs: agency, morality, strength and energy to act, and acceptance by others, which we hypothesized to be related to self-esteem. In two studies, involving 411 university students, the relationship between self-esteem and self-concept was examined. The results confirmed relative independence of these four domains. Self-evaluation of agency was the strongest predictor of self-esteem, followed by self-evaluation of strength and energy to act, and self-evaluation of acceptance by others. Self-evaluation regarding morality turned out to have either no or negative relationship with self-esteem. The results supported the theories assuming that either perception of one's own agency or acceptance by others are sources of self-esteem.
Abstract. Temperament and self-knowledge are both considered important regulators of behavior. Although their areas of influence overlap to some point, little is known about their association. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore if and how they are related to each other, specifically if temperamental dimensions predict self-evaluations in four important domains of self-knowledge. The results showed that temperamental dimensions derived from the regulative theory of temperament were predictors of self-evaluations in all four domains of self-knowledge to a certain degree. Temperament accounted for the greatest amount of variance in self-evaluations of the agency domain, which were positively predicted by briskness and activity, and negatively predicted by emotional reactivity. Both interpersonal attractiveness and social acceptance were positively predicted by briskness, activity, and sensory sensitivity, whereas positive predictors of morality were briskness and sensory sensitivity.
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