Knowing who I am depends on who I've become: Linking self-concept clarity and temporal self-comparison

Abstract

The current research examined how temporal self-comparisons influence self-concept clarity. In Studies 1 and 2, we updated and developed new measures of state self-concept clarity, including specific components identified in prior research. In both studies, participants' confidence in their judgments, as well as the consistency of those judgments, was associated with the self-reported state self-concept clarity. Using the new measures, Study 3 found that self-concept clarity was highest when participants engaged in temporal comparisons that focused on positive similarities between their past and present selves and when comparisons highlighted improvement over time. These findings suggest that self-concept clarity is an emergent phenomenon that arises from comparison-based self-evaluations that fit common lay theories about how the self develops over time.