Knowing Who You Are: Neural Correlates of Self-concept Clarity and Happiness

Abstract

Self-concept clarity (SCC) focuses on the internal consistency and stability of individual self-concept and is assumed to be a critical indicator for one’s subjective well-being (SWB), which is assumed to include emotional well-being (EWB) and cognitive well-being (CWB). However, the neurobiological basis of SCC and the neurological mechanisms underlying the relationship between SCC and SWB have not been well defined. Thus, this study explored the neural basis of SCC by correlating the fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) with the self-reported SCC in 574 healthy first-year university students. A whole-brain correlation analysis indicated that higher levels of SCC was associated with increased fALFF in the right precentral gyrus (PreCG). Additionally, SCC was associated with decreased RSFC of the right PreCG and left inferior parietal lobe (IPL). Furthermore, mediation analysis demonstrated that the fALFF in the right PreCG and PreCG-IPL connectivity strength might be associated with EWB and positive affect through SCC. Our findings contribute to understanding the neurobiological basis of SCC and the neural mechanism underlying the relationship between SCC and EWB.