Is Self-Reflectiveness an Unhealthy Aspect of Private Self-Consciousness?

Abstract

A number of researchers (M. Conway & C. Giannopoulos, 1993; P. J. Watson & M. D. Biderman, 1993) have suggested that self-reflectiveness is an unhealthy aspect of private self-consciousness related to psychopathology. However, these studies did not control for the significant correlation that exists between self-reflectiveness and subscale factors of public self-consciousness: style consciousness and appearance consciousness. The purpose of this research was to address these interrelationships by comparing correlational results with those obtained from multiple regression analyses. Participants (N = 111) completed the Self-Consciousness Scale (A. Fenigstein, M. F. Scheier, & A. H. Buss, 1975) and the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (P. T. Costa & R. R. McCrae, 1992). The results suggested that when the effects of style consciousness and appearance consciousness are controlled, the relationship between self-reflectiveness and neuroticism is nonsignificant. Furthermore, multiple regression analyses suggested a significant relationship between self-reflectiveness and low levels of agreeableness. Aspects of self-consciousness may be better understood in the context of overlapping domains that consider both common and unique variance.

Testing Competing Factor Models Underlying the Private Self-Consciousness Scale With Hong Kong Chinese Adolescents

“…Aside from statistical considerations, a number of researchers have argued for a need to split the factor because constructs tapped by the subfactors might have differential (sometimes inverse) relations with personality traits such as self-esteem (Watson, Hickman, Morris, Stutz, & Whiting, 1994), anxiety (Reeves, Watson, Ramsey, & Morris, 1995) and the Big-Five (Scandell, 2001), which would have important theoretical implications for psychopathology. Aside from statistical considerations, a number of researchers have argued for a need to split the factor because constructs tapped by the subfactors might have differential (sometimes inverse) relations with personality traits such as self-esteem (Watson, Hickman, Morris, Stutz, & Whiting, 1994), anxiety (Reeves, Watson, Ramsey, & Morris, 1995) and the Big-Five (Scandell, 2001), which would have important theoretical implications for psychopathology.…”

Reflective-ruminative tendencies and coping flexibility in patients with non-specific inflammatory bowel diseases

“…A tendency to ruminative thinking is generally considered to be associated with lower levels of wellbeing, whereas adequate self-knowledge accompanied by a tendency to reflectiveness is regarded as an indicator of proper psychosocial adjustment conducive to mental health [22,26]. However, some studies suggest that reflective tendencies may foster both adjustment and maladjustment [27,28]. Findings from recent research conducted among people with cardiac insufficiency show that their style of thinking, irrespective of its nature, was negatively related to subjective quality of life [29].…”

“…Zasadniczo tendencja do myślenia ruminacyjnego sprzyjała obniżonemu dobrostanowi, a trafna samowiedza związana z tendencją do refleksyjności traktowana jest jako wskaźnik psychospołecznego przystosowania, sprzyjającego zdrowiu psychicznemu [22,26]. Część badań wskazuje jednak, że refleksja może sprzyjać zarówno przystosowaniu, jak i nieprzystosowaniu [27,28]. Wyniki dotychczas przeprowadzonych badań wśród osób z niewydolnością serca pokazały, że styl myślenia, niezależnie od jego charakteru, był ujemnie związany z poczuciem jakości życia tych osób [29].…”

Reversible Relationship between Quantitative and Qualitative Data in Self-Consciousness Research: A Normative Semiotic Model for the Phenomenological Dialogue between Data and Capta

“…Recent studies have related self-consciousness to physical and mental health in the fields of clinical and health psychology (Hoyer and Klein, 2000) and psychopathology (Scandell, 2001). The construct has been refined and there is currently discussion in these fields about the distinction between self-reflectiveness, which relates to negative outcomes, and internal state awareness, which relates to positive outcomes as two facets of private self-consciousness (Creed and Funder, 1998;Silvia, 1999).…”