Dimensions of the self-concept: A source of further distinctions in the nature of self-consciousness

Abstract

This study distinguished between forms of self-consciousness (private self-consciousness and social anxiety) and investigated the effect of self-esteem, vulnerability to criticism, and the tendency to fantasize on each. Utilizing a sample of adolescents (age 12 to 19 years), a structural equation analysis using unobserved variables revealed that, as expected, vulnerability to others' criticism heightened both private self-consciousness and social anxiety. In contrast, the tendency to fantasize in everyday life increased only private self-consciousness, and low self-esteem led directly only to increased social anxiety. Further, results showed that self-esteem had an appreciable indirect effect on both private self-consciousness and social anxiety, as mediated by vulnerability and the tendency to fantasize, indicating that the effect of self-esteem (a primary motivator) was more complex than an analysis of direct effects would indicate. Implications for our understanding of self-consciousness and the self-concept are discussed.

The Relationships Among Sex, Academic Performance, Anxiety, and Self‐Esteem of Junior High School Students in Taiwan

“…This study of Taiwanese 9th-grade students provided results similar to that of several other studies performed on anxiety (Elliott, 1984;Lipsitt, 1958;Suinn & Hill, 1964). The students' anxiety levels generally were negatively related to their levels of self-esteem.…”

“…Many studies in the United States have focused on the relationship that exists between anxiety and self-esteem. Lipsitt (1958), for instance, studied elementary school children, Elliott (1984) studied 1,098 teenagers, and Suinn and Hill (1964) studied 92 students at two colleges. The findings of all these studies showed that there was a negative correlation between selfesteem and anxiety.…”

Factors influencing help-seeking : university students' responses to mental health stigma

“…Accordingly, it appears that individuals with heightened private selfconsciousness would be less likely to endorse self-stigmatizing views and more likely to endorse positive attitudes towards help-seeking due to a better understanding of their internalized thoughts and feelings. In contrast, a study by Elliott (1984) found that increased vulnerability to criticism (e.g. fear of negative evaluation) mediated the relationship between self-esteem and self-consciousness.…”

“…Accordingly, criticism (e.g. negative evaluation by others) directs attention to deficiencies of the self, and individuals who are more affected by criticism tend to concentrate more on their inner characteristics (Elliott, 1984). Previous findings (e.g.…”

“…Elliott, 1984;Monfries & Kafer, 1994) have identified a direct relationship between private self-consciousness and fear of negative evaluation. As previously mentioned, Elliott (1984) found that individuals with low self-esteem demonstrated a greater vulnerability to criticism, which lead to a greater focus on one's internal states.…”