Positive Self-views Research Articles

A legend in one's own mind: The link between ambition and leadership evaluations.

Individuals who have more ambition-a persistent striving for success, attainment, and accomplishment-are more likely to become leaders. But are these ambitious individuals also more effective in leadership roles? We hypothesize that leader ambition is related to positive self-views of leader effectiveness that remain uncorroborated by relevant third-party actors. In a multiwave, preregistered study, we find evidence for this hypothesis using a sample of executives (N = 3,830 ratings of 472 leaders) who were rated by peers, subordinates, managers, and themselves on ten leadership competencies, including their ability to motivate others, manage collaborative work, coach and develop people, and present and communicate ideas. We consider the implications of our findings for both scholars and practitioners interested in leadership selection and development.

Individual Differences in Self-Enhancement in Terms of One’s Personality Traits: Relationships with Ruminations and Regulatory Focus

While personality researchers have shown interest in studying self-enhancement, they have not extensively focused on its relationships with distinct cognitive and motivational variables. This exploratory study aims to investigate whether overestimating one’s personality traits is related to a lower level of ruminations, a higher promotion regulatory focus, and a lower prevention focus. Promotion regulatory focus involves self-regulation based on one’s striving for an ideal-self, as opposed to an ought-self, which is typical of a prevention regulatory focus. Self-enhancement occurs when the level of self-rated personality traits exceeds that of informant-rated personality traits. The Five-Factor personality traits were considered: emotional stability, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Certain hypotheses found empirical support. Self-enhancement in different traits were linked to different cognitive and motivational variables. Primarily, an overly positive self-view of one’s emotional stability was accompanied by a lower level of intrusive rumination, a higher level of promotion focus, and a lower prevention focus. The self-enhancement in extraversion was related to a higher level of promotion focus and a lower level of intrusive ruminations while self-enhancement in conscientiousness was linked to a higher promotion focus. Methodological issues and hypothesis formulation were further discussed.

Do Narcissists Think They Make a Better Impression Than They Really Do? Re-Evaluating Enhancement as a Dominant Feature of Narcissism

Imagining a narcissist likely calls to mind someone who thinks that they are well-liked and admired—perhaps unrealistically so. But are narcissists’ beliefs about how others see them systematically too positive? Across four samples (total N = 1,537) that included different contexts (group vs. dyadic) and levels of acquaintanceship (new acquaintances vs. close friends), we used condition-based regression analysis to test whether narcissism is associated with overly positive metaperceptions. Results suggested that although people higher in narcissistic admiration expected positive evaluations across several attributes, their beliefs about their reputation were not overly positive, a pattern that held when controlling for self-perceptions at low levels of acquaintanceship. Conversely, people higher in narcissistic rivalry assumed others saw them negatively. These findings add to a growing literature suggesting that grandiose narcissism is not defined by enhancement per se but is related to positive self-views, including positive metaperceptions.

Remembering the good and bad and the self and others in a culturally modulated self-memory system

ABSTRACT Wang and Conway (2006, Autobiographical memory, self, and culture. In L.-G. Nilsson, & N. Ohta (Eds.), Memory and society: Psychological perspectives (pp. 9–27). Psychology Press) posit that remembering takes place in a culturally modulated self-memory system in which working self-goals are shaped by society and, in turn, influence the encoding and construction of memories in a culturally canonical fashion. The current research examined the self-goal of competence, which manifests through self-enhancement versus self-improvement motivations, in influencing remembering in different cultural contexts. We conducted two cross-cultural studies to examine memories for personal successes and failures (Study 1) and autobiographical and vicarious experiences (Study 2) in connection with individuals’ positive self-views. European Americans recalled a greater number of success than failure memories (Study 1) and US participants recalled a greater number of autobiographical than vicarious memories (Study 2), which was further associated with positive self-views at the individual level. In contrast, Asian (Study 1) and Chinese participants (Study 2) recalled even-handedly the different types of memories, and the memory retrieval was unrelated to individuals’ self-views. We discuss the findings in light of the different manifestations of the competence goal in shaping memory in the culturally modulated self-memory system.

Narcissistic personality disorder in the ICD-11: Severity and trait profiles of grandiosity and vulnerability.

Modern diagnostic and classification frameworks such as the ICD-11 and DSM-5-AMPD have adopted a dimensional approach to diagnosing personality disorder using a dual "severity" and "trait" model. As narcissistic personality has historically struggled to be adequately captured in dominant diagnostic systems, this study investigated the utility of the new ICD-11 framework in capturing diverse narcissistic expressions. Participants were mental health clinicians (N = 180, 67% female, age = 38.9), who completed ratings of ICD-11 personality severity, trait domains and a clinical reflection for two hypothetical case vignettes reflecting either prototypical "grandiose" or "vulnerable" narcissism. The majority of clinicians (82%) endorsed a diagnosis of personality disorder for both grandiose and vulnerable vignettes. Discriminant elements of personality impairment included rigid, unrealistically positive self-view, low empathy and high conflict with others for grandiosity, and incoherent identity, low self-esteem and hypervigilant, avoidant relations with others for vulnerability. Regarding trait profile, grandiose narcissism was predominately dissocial whereas vulnerable narcissism was primarily associated with negative affectivity and detachment. Qualitative responses highlight distinct clinical themes for each presentation. These findings suggest that clinicians using the ICD-11 framework are able to identify common core elements of personality dysfunction in grandiose and vulnerable narcissism while also recognizing their distinctive differences.

Cross-Cultural Insights from Two Global Mental Health Studies: Self-Enhancement and Ingroup Biases

AbstractThis commentary highlights two cross-cultural issues identified from our global mental health (GMH) research, RECOLLECT (Recovery Colleges Characterisation and Testing) 2: self-enhancement and ingroup biases. Self-enhancement is a tendency to maintain and express unrealistically positive self-views. Ingroup biases are differences in one’s evaluation of others belonging to the same social group. These biases are discussed in the context of GMH research using self-report measures across cultures. GMH, a field evolving since its Lancet series introduction in 2007, aims to advance mental health equity and human rights. Despite a 16.5-fold increase in annual GMH studies from 2007 to 2016, cross-cultural understanding remains underdeveloped. We discuss the impact of individualism versus collectivism on self-enhancement and ingroup biases. GMH research using concepts, outcomes, and methods aligned with individualism may give advantages to people and services oriented to individualism. GMH research needs to address these biases arising from cross-cultural differences to achieve its aim.

How negative self-views may interfere with building positive relationships: An experimental analogue of identity dysfunction in borderline personality disorder.

A disturbed, negative sense of self is associated with various interpersonal difficulties and is characteristic of disorders such as borderline personality disorder (BPD). Negative self-views may affect an individuals' ability to build positive relationships, including a therapeutic relationship. However, it is not yet well understood how identity disturbances give rise to interpersonal difficulties. Using an experimental analogue design, we tested whether identity disturbances are associated with interpersonal difficulties. Participants were university students (N = 43, age M = 20.51 (SD = 3.08), women N = 32 (74.4%)) who reported moderate to high levels of BPD features, with 34.9% reporting significant BPD features as measured by the Borderline scale of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI-BOR). In a within-subject experimental paradigm using a Social Feedback Task, participants received negative, intermediate, and positive evaluations, supposedly from a panel. Using multilevel models, we tested whether negative self-views were associated with how much the participants liked, trusted, and felt close to each of the three panel members who provided either predominantly negative, intermediate, or positive feedback. People with more negative self-views reported lower mood in response to positive feedback. In addition, where people with more positive self-views felt better when receiving feedback that was congruent with their self-views, people with more negative self-views did not report a better mood. Importantly, people with negative self-views felt lower desire to affiliate with the member who provided predominantly positive feedback. Affiliation was not affected when feedback was given by the negative member and intermediate member to those with negative self-views. The findings validated that those with more negative self-views anticipated and expected more negative responses from others. Negative self-views, as relevant for BPD, may explain how people relate differently to those giving different types of feedback. Pervasive negative self-views may interfere with building new relationships including the therapeutic alliance. It may be helpful for clinicians to be aware of the potential challenges around creating a supportive therapeutic relationship for patients with negative self-views. Overly positive affirmations made by clinicians may inadvertently lower the patient's mood and may impede alliance formation.

Toward an explanation of cultural differences in subjective well-being: the role of positive emotion norms and positive illusions.

The present research explores the role of positive emotion norms and positive illusions in explaining the higher subjective well-being observed among Europeans compared to East Asians in Canada. Specifically, we investigate the underlying psychological mechanisms contributing to the prevalence of positive self-views among individuals with European backgrounds, characterized by individualism, versus those with East Asian backgrounds, associated with collectivism. Our study compares Europeans and East Asians in Canada to determine whether cultural norms regarding positive emotions account for the elevated positive self-views and subjective well-being in Europeans. With a sample of 225 participants (112 Europeans and 113 East Asians), our findings reveal significant indirect effects of culture on subjective well-being through positive emotion norms and positive illusions. This study highlights that Europeans, compared to East Asians, believe it is more appropriate to experience and express positive emotions, and this norm influences their positive self-views, subsequently impacting subjective well-being. These findings offer valuable insights into how cultural factors shape subjective well-being across different groups.

Observing psychopathy promptly, reliably, and validly: Development and validation of the Short Psychopathy Rating Scale (SPRS)

The goal of the present research was to develop a short, valid, and reliable rating measure of psychopathy: the Short Psychopathy Rating Scale (SPRS). To achieve this, we conducted three studies. In Study 1 (N = 485), the participants from a community sample rated persons they know well on items that assess psychopathy. By conducting the Factor Analysis, we selected the items that depict three psychopathy characteristics: Deceitfulness, Emotional coldness, and Recklessness. In Study 2, the raters provided estimates of these three psychopathy measures on the target individuals (N = 429). Furthermore, we collected self-report measures from the target persons, which were used to establish the validity of the new psychopathy scales: Psychopathic Personality Traits Scale (PPTS), short version of the Triarchic Personality Measure (TriPM), impulsiveness, physical aggression, Positive self-view, short-term mating, moral disgust, and substance use. Expected latent structure was obtained from this data as well; furthermore, psychopathy scales had high reliabilities. Finally, the correlations with self-report measures provided evidence for convergent and divergent validity of SPRS scales. In study 3 we obtained positive associations between SPRS scales, aggression, and risk assessment regarding criminal behavior in a sample of prisoners (N = 290) thus confirming the validity of the scales in a forensic context. In sum, the results of the present research showed evidence that SPRS is a valid and reliable measure of psychopathy which can be easily administered and informants can be both professionals and laymen as well; hence, it is an important addition to the psychopathy assessment, both in research and practical contexts.

When Will This End? Exploring the Relationship between Depression Symptoms, Perceptions of the Future Self, and Anticipated Length of the COVID-19 Pandemic in College Seniors

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic changed lives overnight. With the pandemic's abrupt spread, graduating college students encountered widespread setbacks and challenges and were left with considerable uncertainty about how long the pandemic would last. This research explored the relationship between anticipation of the pandemic's length and longitudinal mental health, and the role of perception of the future self (i.e., future self-identification) as a potential protective and promotive factor for mental health during the pandemic. Methods: Graduating college seniors completed a two-part longitudinal study starting as the pandemic initially spread in the United States (March 26—April 10, 2020) and ending over half a year into the pandemic's course (October 20-January 27, 2021). Results: Findings suggested that higher initial symptoms of depression did not predict anticipating a longer pandemic, but anticipating a longer pandemic significantly predicted higher downstream depression symptoms over and above the initial symptoms. Additionally, greater future self-identification did not moderate the relationship between anticipated pandemic length and downstream depression (i.e., it was not a significant protective factor). However, having a positive view of the future self significantly predicted better downstream mental health over and above perceptions of pandemic length and initial depression symptoms. Positivity toward the future self may be an important promotive factor for mental health during the pandemic. Discussion: These results indicate that students who anticipate an extended crisis may need extra support, and perception of the future self as positive may be a valuable psychological resource.

Yarning as a method for building sexual wellbeing among urban Aboriginal young people in Australia

This paper describes the strategies used by Aboriginal young people to build positive relationships and sexual wellbeing. It does so to counter the risk-focussed narratives present in much existing research and to showcase the resourcefulness of Aboriginal young people. We used peer-interview methods to collect qualitative data from 52 Aboriginal young people living in western Sydney, Australia. Participants reported a strong desire to stay safe and healthy in their sexual relationships and to achieve this they relied heavily on oral communication and yarning strategies. Participants viewed communication as a way to gain or give advice (about bodies, infections, pregnancy, relationships); to assess the acceptability and safety of potential partners; to negotiate consent with partners; to build positive relationships; and to get themselves out of unhealthy relationships. Participants also discussed ‘self-talk’ as a strategy for building sexual wellbeing, referring to narratives of self-respect and pride in culture as important in establishing Aboriginal young people’s positive views of self and as deserving of respectful and safe sexual relationships. These findings suggest that future programmes and interventions based on yarning could be well-regarded, given it is a cultural form of pedagogy and a strategy Aboriginal young people already use to build positive relationships and identities.

Roles of benefit finding in psychological and inflammatory adjustments in persons with colorectal cancer: a prospective analysis on the multidimensionality of benefit finding

Objective This study examined the unique associations of different dimensions of the resilience factor, benefit finding, on concurrent and prospective psychological and biological adjustment outcomes over the first year after a colorectal cancer diagnosis. Methods and measures Individuals newly diagnosed with colorectal cancer (n = 133, mean age = 56 years old, 59% female, 46% Hispanic) completed questionnaires assessing the multidimensional aspects of benefit finding around 4 months post-diagnosis (T1). Psychological (depressive symptoms and life satisfaction) and biological [C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-10 (IL-10)] adjustments were assessed at T1 and one-year post-diagnosis (T2). Results Structural equation modeling revealed that at T1, greater reprioritization was concurrently related to higher depressive symptoms (p=.020). Lower acceptance, lower empathy, and greater positive self-view predicted higher life satisfaction at T2 (ps<.010). Additionally, lower empathy and greater family valuation predicted higher CRP at T2 (ps<.004), whereas greater positive self-view predicted higher IL-10 at T2 (p=.039). Greater overall benefit finding was associated with lower IL-10 at T1 (p=.013). Conclusion Various aspects of benefit finding differentially relate to psychological and inflammatory markers during the first year after diagnosis in persons with colorectal cancer. Interventions designed to specifically enhance positive self-view may promote both the psychological and biological health of individuals with cancer.

호네트의 인정 이론에 기초한 긍정적 자아관 형성 및 인성교육의 방향 고찰

Objectives This study attempted to examine the desirable direction of personality education that forms a positive self-view through recognition and cares for others in a social context where close human relationships and interactions are weakened, personal competition and efficient performance are emphasized.&#x0D; Methods To this end, literature study, critical interpretation, and discussion were conducted on Hornet's books, papers, and related prior studies.&#x0D; Results Recognition develops through love at home, rights in civil society, and solidarity in the state, and accordingly, self-confidence, self-respect, and self-esteem develop. Based on the relationship of recognition, our education should develop educational culture and institutions that embrace differences and diversity while encouraging solidarity and harmony. The unique values of various students should be equally respected and recognized.&#x0D; Conclusions Personality education should fundamentally foster the attitude and ability to recognize each other and self-recognition, and to ensure that emotional consideration, respect for rights, and social value are properly achieved at home, school, and society. In particular, when recognition is denied or ignored, personal and collective efforts are needed to recognize the reality and cause of the problem and restore damaged self-esteem again. Students should clearly recognize unfair neglect and disapproval by expressing and sharing the experience of neglect, and strive together to overcome it to develop empathy, solidarity, critical consciousness, and moral judgment.

Momentarily narcissistic? Development of a short, state version of the Pathological Narcissism Inventory applicable in momentary assessment.

Narcissism viewed as a personality process rather than a stable trait explains narcissistic functioning as a tool for maintaining a positive self-view. Studying narcissism therefore needs adequate momentary measures for collecting higher frequency longitudinal data in experience sampling method (ESM) studies. In this study, a shorter version of the Pathological Narcisissm Inventory is offered to measure vulnerable and grandiose narcissistic states, applicable in momentary assessment. The measurement tool was tested in three samples. First, we assessed the factor structure and associations with other contemporary measures of narcissism in a cross-sectional design on one English speaking (n = 319) and one Hungarian sample (n = 236). Second, we conducted a five-day long experience sampling method study with a total of 15 measurement points (n = 123). Based on structural equation modelling and multilevel analyses, the results suggest that the measure has adequate psychometric properties in both the within and between subject levels as well as acceptable convergent and discriminant validity. The Pathological Narcissism Inventory - State Version (PNI-S) can be a useful tool in momentary data collection enabling the examination of personality processes behind narcissistic functioning.

Self-judgment dissected: A computational modeling analysis of self-referential processing and its relationship to trait mindfulness facets and depression symptoms.

Cognitive theories of depression, and mindfulness theories of well-being, converge on the notion that self-judgment plays a critical role in mental health. However, these theories have rarely been tested via tasks and computational modeling analyses that can disentangle the information processes operative in self-judgments. We applied a drift-diffusion computational model to the self-referential encoding task (SRET) collected before and after an 8-week mindfulness intervention (n = 96). A drift-rate regression parameter representing positive-relative to negative-self-referential judgment strength positively related to mindful awareness and inversely related to depression, both at baseline and over time; however, this parameter did not significantly relate to the interaction between mindful awareness and nonjudgmentalness. At the level of individual depression symptoms, at baseline, a spectrum of symptoms (inversely) correlated with the drift-rate regression parameter, suggesting that many distinct depression symptoms relate to valenced self-judgment between subjects. By contrast, over the intervention, changes in only a smaller subset of anhedonia-related depression symptoms showed substantial relationships with this parameter. Both behavioral and model-derived measures showed modest split-half and test-retest correlations. Results support cognitive theories that implicate self-judgment in depression and mindfulness theories, which imply that mindful awareness should lead to more positive self-views.

A Biobehavioural Approach to Understand How Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Reduces Dispositional Negative Self-Bias in Recurrent Depression

ObjectivesIn order to address an important gap in understanding mechanisms of depressive relapse, we complemented self-report with psychophysiological measures to a specifically developed brief self-compassion exercise, to examine if mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) reduces dispositional negative self-bias in individuals with recurrent depression.MethodsIndividuals’ responses (self-report, heart rate, heart rate variability and skin conductance) during a previously validated brief self-compassion exercise were assessed in a repeated-measures experimental design at two timepoints 2.5–3 months apart in a convenience sample of remitted depressed attendees of an outpatient clinic for mood disorders. The first group received eight sessions of MBCT (n = 25) in between the two measurements whereas the second group was an untreated control group (n = 25).ResultsWhen the MBCT group engaged in the self-compassion exercise after MBCT, they showed reduced physiological arousal and increased heart rate variability whereas no changes were observed in the untreated control group. Whereas self-reported state self-compassion after the exercise increased in both groups at both timepoints, only in the MBCT group were the overall levels of state and dispositional self-compassion increased significantly.ConclusionMBCT appears to effectively reduce negative self-bias and facilitates psychophysiological benefits associated with a more positive self-view. Physiological responses to our self-compassion exercise could be useful markers of treatment-related changes and further mechanism research on depressive relapse prevention.

Socioemotional Resources and Mental Health in Moroccan Adolescents: A Person-Centered Approach.

Mixture modeling technics are not the one and only to perform person-centered analyses, but they do offer the possibility of integrating latent profiles into models of some complexity that include antecedents and results. When analyzing the contribution of socioemotional resources to the preservation of mental health, it is the variable-centered approaches that are the most often performed, with few examples using a person-centered approach. Moreover, if the focus is on the Arab adolescent population, to our knowledge, there is an absence of such studies. This study aims to extend the research about socioemotional resources by examining: (1) if distinguishable profiles can be identified based on scores about perceptions of different emotional abilities and levels of social support from different sources (e.g., parents, friends, and teachers/counselors); (2) if the identified profiles relate to mental health indicators, such as depression levels and health-related quality of life (HRQoL); and (3) to acknowledge if sociodemographic variables such as age or gender and positive self-views (self-esteem) ascertain the probability of pertaining to the identified profiles. The study was carried out on a large sample of Moroccan adolescents (N = 970). We adopted a person-centered approach using latent profile analysis (LPA) to establish whether different socioemotional resources profiles (e.g., emotional intelligence and social support) are present in Moroccan adolescents. Furthermore, we investigated the role of sociodemographic variables and self-esteem as antecedents of these profiles and the association of these profiles with mental health (depression and HRQoL). Results from LPA revealed three patterns of socioemotional resources (i.e., latent profiles): (1) “High socioemotional resources” (43.09%); (2) “Moderate socioemotional resources” (42.68%); and (3) “Low socioemotional resources” (14.23%). Analyses showed that Moroccan adolescents differed significantly in depression (cognitive-affective and somatic dimensions) and HRQoL depending on the profile membership. Profiles with higher levels of resources contributed positively to preserving mental health. Finally, the results show that self-esteem boosted the probability of pertaining to the profiles related to better mental health. Thus, this study extends previous research about socioemotional resources, highlighting that researchers and health professionals should consider empirically identified profiles of adolescents when explaining mental health outcomes. Therefore, the psychological intervention should be focused on enhancing the self-esteem of adolescents, to favor a high socioemotional resource profile, which results in better mental health.

Implementation of PCM in a Singapore school: Impact on students’ learning outcomes

This paper reports on the evaluation results of the implementation of the Parallel Curriculum Model (PCM) in a Singapore secondary school for Grades 7-10. PCM was adopted by the school in 2016 to provide a comprehensive framework for designing the school’s curriculum around the core, connections, practice, and identity. Two years into the implementation, a systematic review was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of this model on students’ learning. A 39-item 5-point scale survey instrument was conceptualized to measure students’ self-perception around four constructs—(a) critical and conceptual thinking, (b) problem solving and communication, (c) creative thinking, and (d) learning strategies adopted in the context of PCM curriculum. Rasch analysis of 862 students’ level of agreeability to these four constructs reported positive self-views. They also reported engaging effective learning strategies in the PCM curriculum. This study contributes to the paucity of research in evaluating the efficacy of the PCM on students’ learning.

Daily Activity Engagement Predicts More Positive Affect Especially on Days When a Person Feels Young

Engagement in a wide array of mental, social, and physical leisure activities confers several health benefits. Indeed, theories of successful aging argue that an active lifestyle serves as an important criterion for maintaining high levels of psychological, functional, and physical well-being in old age. Findings from parallel studies also show that people who hold positive (self-)views of aging exhibit higher and maintained levels of well-being over time. Yet, whether views of aging enhances the link between activity engagement and well-being - and whether they do so on a daily basis – remains unknown. This study therefore sought to extend prior literature by examining the relationship between activity engagement, subjective age, and affective ratings within-person over several days. Old adults (N = 115; Age: Range = 60 – 90, M = 64.65, SD = 4.86) in the Mindfulness and Anticipatory Coping Every Day (MACED) study completed an 8-day daily diary. Participants reported on their positive and negative affect, the age they subjectively felt compared to their actual age, and the number and types of leisure activities in which they engaged. Results from multilevel analyses indicate that people felt more positive on days when they also engaged in more activities (total across mental, social, physical types) than usual. Moreover, the effect of activity engagement was most pronounced on days when people felt younger than usual. No effects were found for negative affect. Preliminary findings suggest that people benefit psychologically from daily leisure activities and a positive self-view of aging.

Suppressor effects in self-enhancement research: A critical comment on condition-based regression analysis.

Self-enhancement conceived as a positive relation between happiness (H) and the difference S-O (self-rating S minus objective measure O) is inherently confounded with a positive self-view account: S alone may explain the positive relation to H. Condition-based regression analysis (CRA; Humberg et al., 2018a, 2018b) promises a solution. CRA assumes that opposite predictor weights (βS > 0; βO < 0) in regression of H on S and O rule out that H depends on S alone. However, despite the truism that two significant regression weights imply that both S and O contribute to the prediction model, they cannot rule out a positive self-view account. If only S shares variance with H, O may improve the prediction indirectly, by suppressing unpredictive S-variance in the prediction model. Granting S-O-redundancy, a classical suppressor effect (Conger & Jackson, 1972) results in a negative regression weight for O (binding S-variance that is unpredictive of H). Thus, the regression pattern that CRA presumes to rule out a positive self-view account indeed follows necessarily from a suppressor effect entailed in a positive self-view account. Computer simulations illustrate and corroborate this critique. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).