Private Self-consciousness Research Articles

Reflective and ruminative types of self-consciousness among young adults with perfectionistic personality traits

Introduction and objective: Motives for self-observation can be diverse. This study aims to determine whether young adults with perfectionistic personality traits are closer to the ruminative or reflective type of private self-consciousness. Materials and methods: The study involved 183 healthy individuals aged 18–30 years (M = 20.87, SD = 3.24), with women accounting for 57%. The Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS) by Smith and the Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire (RRQ) by Trapnell and Campbell were used. Results: The results indicate that perfectionism is positively related to the ruminative type of self-consciousness. Reflexivity, as cognitive curiosity about oneself, represents a more mature way of functioning for which perfectionism is unnecessary. In contrast, perfectionism is strongly associated with critical self-examination and has much in common with the ruminative form of self-consciousness. Self-critical perfectionism thus becomes a strategy whereby increased rumination, i.e. ruminating about past and potential failures, leads individuals to believe they are preventing future failures. Conversely, grandiose perfectionism protects against rumination. Individuals do not perceive their mistakes and, therefore, do not ruminate about them. Conclusions: Based on the Three Big Perfectionism Scale, the results confirm the association of the ruminative type of private self-consciousness with perfectionism and its absence between the reflective type and perfectionism.

Structure, network analysis, psychometric properties and clinical utility of the self-absorption scale in China

BackgroundSelf-absorption refers an excessive, persistent, and rigid preoccupation with information regarding the self. This study aims to introduce the Self-Absorption Scale (SAS) into China with an assessment of its latent variable structure, network structure, psychometric properties, and clinical utility in a nonclinical Chinese sample.Methods209 participants completed the translated SAS as well as the Short General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), rumination subscale of the Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire (RRQ), the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), the Private Self-Consciousness Scale (PrSCS), the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) and the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II). In addition, 30 respondents completed the Chinese version of the SAS and retested it 2 weeks later.ResultsThe Chinese version of the SAS (CH-SAS) had a desirable two-correlated-factor structure with the reverse scored item removed, which was invariant across different genders. The core items in the network structure of the CH-SAS were related to excessive self-immersion, uncontrollability and anxiety aspects of self-absorption. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the CH-SAS was 0.903 while the McDonald’s omega coefficient was 0.916 and the test-retest reliability was 0.908. The CH-SAS and its two subscales had moderate positive correlations with the rumination subscale of the RRQ (ranging from 0.474 to 0.616; p < .001) and the GHQ-12 (ranging from 0.479 to 0.538; p < .001), and moderate negative correlations with the MAAS (ranging from − 0.413 to − 0.360; p < .001). The PrSCS has almost no correlation with the CH-SAS and PrSAS (p > .05), and its correlation with the PubSAS was significant at the 0.05 level, with a remarkably low correlation coefficient (r = .157). The hierarchical regression analysis suggested that the CH-SAS can significantly predict the severity of OCD beyond factors such as depression, anxiety, rumination, dissociation, and mindful attention awareness.ConclusionsThe CH-SAS demonstrates excellent reliability, including internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Additionally, it exhibits favorable structural validity, as well as strong evidence of convergent and divergent validity. Furthermore, the self-absorption measured using the CH-SAS contributed significantly to the prediction of OCD beyond other relevant psychological factors, suggesting its clinical utility.

Know Thyself: Insight Moderates the Relationship Between Goal-Concordant Motivation and Positive Emotions

The present study had three primary objectives: examine goal-concordant motivation throughout the adult lifespan, assess the relationship between goal-concordant motivation and subjective well-being (operationalized as life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect), and examine private self-consciousness (operationalized as insight and rumination) for potential moderation effects on the relationship between goal-concordant motivation and subjective well-being. Data were collected in person and online from 433 participants (55% female) between the ages of 18-79 (M = 31.8, SD = 13.7). Results showed that introjected motivation decreased with age, goal-concordant motivation predicted all aspects of subjective well-being, and private self-consciousness (insight, specifically) had significant moderation effects on the relationship between goal-concordant motivation and positive affect. Findings are discussed with relevance to goal pursuit and attainment, their association to wellbeing, and mindful self-attention that can strengthen the relationship between motivation and positive emotional experience.

Effect of self-consciousness on e-learning attitudes among high school students, Hyderabad, India

The study looks at the relationship between E-Learning attitudes and self-consciousness among high school students studying in Hyderbad City, an Indian metropolis, during the 2022-2023 academic year. The study had a total of 578 students (305 males and 273 females). Participants were given the Test of E-Learning Related Attitudes (TeLRA) and the Self-Consciousness Scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS 29.0 software. Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to determine the predictive role of self-consciousness in E-Learning Attitudes. A positive link was discovered between "self-consciousness" and "E-Learning attitude" among high school students. To compare groups based on demographic characteristics, we performed ndependent sample t-tests and one-way ANOVA. Female students had a significantly higher E-Learning attitudes score than male students (t= -4.78; p&lt;0.05). Students having a good educational background from their family had significantly higher E-Learning attitude scores than those without (t=3.4; p&lt;0.001). There were no significant variations based on the technology used during E-Learning or other demographic characteristics. Female students scored considerably higher on private self-consciousness (t=-4.96; p&lt;0.001), general self-consciousness (t=-6.37; p&lt;0.001), and social anxiety (t=-8.57; p&lt;0.001) than male students. Students with a family education history exhibited significantly higher general self-consciousness scores (t=2.39; p&lt;0.05) compared to those without E-Learning experience. The results were discussed, and recommendations for further scientific study were made.t (t=3.4; p&lt;0.001).

Who has secrets and who keeps them? Individual differences in disclosure and secrecy

Recent work has made great strides in understanding the situations that prompt people to disclose information or keep secrets. Through four studies (N = 24,684), this article provides new insights into disclosure and secrecy through the lens of individual differences. Studies 1 and 2 find that higher levels of private self-consciousness are associated with greater disclosure, while higher levels of public self-consciousness are associated with greater secrecy. Studies 3 and 4 examined the Big Five personality traits and life satisfaction, finding reliably distinct patterns when it comes to keeping secrets and having the kinds of experiences people typically keep secret. Taken together, the studies provide several new insights into individual differences as well as future research directions.

Self-consciousness and trait anxiety influence music performance in high-pressure situations

High levels of mental pressure in musicians can lead to decrements in performance, but this effect may depend on individual dispositions. In this study, self-consciousness and trait anxiety were examined as predictors of decrements in performance in natural concert settings. The performance of 30 pianists was assessed in a condition without pressure (i.e., when playing alone) and in a condition with pressure (i.e., in a public concert). Audio recordings of the performances were evaluated on musical expression, technical precision, and overall performance by four independent jurors who were unaware of the condition in which they had been made. The differences between the pressure and no-pressure ratings were regressed on cognitive and somatic anxiety (assessed with an adaptation of the Competition Anxiety Inventory) as well as on public and private self-consciousness (assessed with the Self-Consciousness Scale). Participants performed better in the concert than when playing alone, despite increased state anxiety during the concert. The effect of the pressure condition on performance, however, was attenuated when participants scored high for private self-consciousness (i.e., the tendency to attend to one’s inner thoughts and feelings) but increased when they scored high for public self-consciousness (i.e., the tendency to see oneself from the outside as a social object). An attenuating effect of private self-consciousness emerged particularly for technical precision, whereas an enhancing effect of public self-consciousness emerged particularly for musical expression. The two subcomponents of self-consciousness were positively correlated, exerting a counteracting effect on overall performance ratings. Cognitive trait anxiety reduced performance quality, but only when somatic trait anxiety was not controlled for. The findings suggest a negative effect of inward-directed attention to the self (private self-consciousness) and a protective effect of habituation to outward-directed attention to the self as a social object (public self-consciousness) and may contribute to developing pedagogical activities or interventions to prevent fluctuations in performance.

The Role of Need for Cognition in Well-Being – Review and Meta-Analyses of Associations and Potentially Underlying Mechanisms

Need for Cognition (NFC) describes one’s inclination towards and enjoyment of effortful cognitive activities and has been associated with favourable academic outcomes. Yet, recent evidence also points to beneficial outcomes regarding well-being. This review gives an overview of the literature on the role of NFC in well-being in healthy adults by combining random-effects meta-analyses and a qualitative integration of evidence. Studies investigating NFC and facets of well-being were acquired via database searches and a call for unpublished results. Higher NFC was found to be associated with lower neuroticism, anxiety, negative affect, burnout, public self-consciousness, and depression and with higher positive affect, private self-consciousness, and satisfaction (|ρ| ~ .20 with 95% confidence intervals excluding zero for all examined outcomes). While tests for publication and selection bias in the meta-analyses were negative, heterogeneity was often observed. NFC was further associated with aspects of a more stable identity and higher social confidence, while associations with addictive behaviours and physical health were inconsistent. One mechanism driving these patterns seems to be a higher perceived control in individuals with higher NFC that increases active coping, but also reduces the effectiveness of health interventions by fostering a sense of overconfidence in own resources. Thus, this review provides a leverage point for future research on NFC and well-being to improve prevention and intervention.

Relationship Between Public Self-Consciousness, Private Self-Consciousness and Loneliness: Focusing on Sub-Dimensions of Self-Consciousnesses

Relationship Between Public Self-Consciousness, Private Self-Consciousness and Loneliness: Focusing on Sub-Dimensions of Self-Consciousnesses

Identifying the insomnia-related psychological issues associated with hyperarousal: A network perspective

Hyperarousal, recognized as a fundamental characteristic of insomnia for decades, has yielded limited evidence concerning its direct psychological associations. This study aimed to explore the psychological factors linked to hyperarousal within the framework of interrelated variables. Two independent samples, comprising n = 917 and n = 652 young adults, were included in the study. Employing the first dataset as a discovery sample and the second dataset as a replication sample, network analyses were conducted using 26 variables derived from 17 scales. The objective was to estimate the direct and indirect associations between psychological issues, including hyperarousal and insomnia. Additionally, linear regression analysis was employed to assess the convergence of findings obtained from the network analysis. Network analyses in both samples converged to reveal direct associations between insomnia severity and several psychological factors, including negative sleep beliefs, physical fatigue, insomnia response to stress, hyperarousal, self-reported depression, and mental fatigue. Notably, the nodes with relative importance within the network include trait anxiety, depressive rumination, hyperarousal, perfectionism sub-dimension of concern over mistakes, and private self-consciousness. Hyperarousal is one of the key factors linking insomnia with a variety of psychological issues, including emotion-related factors (rumination, perveived stress), sleep-related factors (dysfunctional sleep beliefs and attitudes, insomnia response to stress, fatigue, chronotype), and self-related factors (self-consciousness, perfectionism). The results suggest that forthcoming strategies for enhancing the treatment efficacy of insomnia could consider supplementary interventions that specifically address hyperarousal, other factors directly linked to insomnia, or the hub nodes within the network.

Emotional labor mediates the associations between self-consciousness and flow in dancers

Emotional labor has been a focal point in occupational well-being literature, but studies have long overlooked an important group of emotional laborers: performers. This research represents a pioneering effort to examine dancers’ adoption of emotional labor strategies, their antecedent of self-consciousness, and the outcome of flow experience. We explored these elements both in the traditional setting of stage dancing and in the novel context of online dance classes without on-site spectators during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results revealed that dancers employed all three common emotional labor strategies: surface acting, deep acting, and expression of naturally felt emotions, with deep acting being the most frequent. In the traditional setting, only the expression of naturally felt emotions mediated the positive effect of private self-consciousness and the negative effect of public self-consciousness on flow experience. In contrast, in the online setting, only private self-consciousness impacted flow through the mediation of deep acting and expression of naturally felt emotions. This exploratory study bridges dramaturgy-originated theories of emotional labor with empirical performing arts research, preliminarily advancing knowledge in the relevant fields of dance education, self-presentation, and flow studies.

Me, myself and you: How self-consciousness influences time perception

Several investigations have shown that the processing of self-relevant information differs from processing objective information. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of social stimuli on subjective time processing. Here, social stimuli are images of an unknown male and female person and an image of participants’ self. Forty university students were tested with a time reproduction task in which they were asked to reproduce the duration of the stimulus previously presented. Images of others or themselves were used to mark the temporal intervals. Participants also performed questionnaires to evaluate the level of anxiety and depression as well as self-consciousness. A generalised linear mixed-effects model approach was adopted. Results showed that male participants with higher Private Self-Consciousness scores showed higher time perception accuracy than females. Also, female participants reported higher scores for the Public Self-Consciousness subscale than male participants. The findings are discussed in terms of social context models of how attention is solicited and arousal is generated by social stimuli, highlighting the effect of social context on subjective perception of time.

The effect of private self-consciousness on the intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine

&lt;b&gt;Background:&lt;/b&gt; Although COVID-19 vaccines have been developed, the number of people willing to receive the vaccine has not yet reached the level for herd immunity. Using the health belief model with governmental information support, this study examined private self-consciousness in combination with other factors that influence the intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Materials and methods:&lt;/b&gt; The perceived susceptibility to and perceived seriousness of COVID-19, perceived benefits of and perceived barriers to the COVID-19 vaccine, governmental information support, private self-consciousness, and the intention to receive the vaccine were examined in 523 adults. The data were analyzed with partial least squares regression.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; The results indicate that private self-consciousness reduces the effect of perceived susceptibility on the intention to receive the vaccine and the negative effect of the perceived barriers to receiving it on intention.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; The information provided by the public health department should focus on perceived seriousness and perceived benefits because they are not affected by private self-consciousness.

The expression of anger while driving – The role of personality and self-consciousness in a sample of Chinese drivers

Driving anger among Chinese drivers is common leading to aggressive and risky driving behaviours and potentially increasing involvement in road collisions. This study adopted an online survey to explore the relationship between personality, self-consciousness and driving anger expression. 559 participants completed a questionnaire consisting of the Driving Anger Scale (14-item DAS), the short version of the Driving Anger Expression Inventory (15 item DAX), the Brief HEXACO Inventory (BHI), and the Self-Consciousness Scale (SCS). A Confirmatory Factor Analysis yielded a reliable and valid three-factor structure of the Chinese 15 item DAX, labelled as “Adaptive Expression”, “Verbal Expression” and “Physical and Vehicle Expression”. Physical and Vehicle expression of anger was reported more by males and by experienced drivers compared to females and novice drivers. Traffic offenders showed more inclination towards exhibiting verbal anger expression than non-traffic offenders. In terms of dispositional traits, Humility-Honesty had a negative effect on both verbal expression and physical and vehicle expression. However, private self-consciousness was related to an increase in verbal expression and physical and vehicle expression. Importantly, Humility-Honesty and private self-consciousness moderated the relationship between trait driving anger and non-adaptive anger expressions in opposite ways. The findings could provide some support for the development of strategies to mitigate driving anger in China.

Job search intentions and job attainment are self-regulated: Prospective analysis of the effects of self-efficacy, self-consciousness and core self-evaluations

The purpose of the present study was to extend the results of previous research exploring the paths between variables of the theory of planned behaviour and job attainment. The theory of planned behaviour assumes that attitude, subjective norm and self-efficacy contribute to intention, which in turn determines behaviour and, finally, an outcome. Regarding job attainment, several moderators and several antecedents were identified, but the possible role of self-efficacy was neglected. In addition to examining its role, we also consider one of its possible antecedent (i.e. core self-evaluations) and whether private self-consciousness moderates the path between job search self-efficacy and job search intention. Scales measuring these variables were administered to a sample of 141 jobseekers, including 57 men and 84 women, most of them being between 45 and 54 years ( n = 42) or between 35 and 44 years ( n = 34). Results corroborate that core self-evaluations are related to job search self-efficacy and that private self-consciousness moderates the path between job search self-efficacy and job search intention, but in an unexpected way. Core self-evaluations are also directly related to job attainment. Results are discussed with reference to the literature and their practical implications.

Relationship between self-consciousness and empathy for cancer patients among nursing students: The moderating effects of clinical practice satisfaction

BackgroundPatients with cancer experience physical and mental difficulties that can be relieved with the support and empathy of healthcare professionals. Empathy can be affected by self-consciousness. The clinical performance and interpersonal competence of nursing students are related to their satisfaction with clinical practice. ObjectiveThis study explored the moderating effect of clinical practice satisfaction of nursing students on the relationship between self-consciousness and empathy for patients with cancer. DesignCross-sectional descriptive study. SettingThree colleges of nursing in South Korea. ParticipantsA total of 136 senior nursing students across three universities. MethodsThe participants completed an online questionnaire on demographic and education-related characteristics, self-consciousness, and empathy competency. We used the Korean versions of the Self-Consciousness Scale and Empathy Construct Rating Scale. The overall response rate was 42.5 %. SPSS PROCESS macro was used to test the moderating role of satisfaction with clinical practice. ResultsPrivate self-consciousness was significantly associated with clinical practice satisfaction and empathy. The relationship between practice satisfaction and empathy was significantly positive. In addition, the satisfaction of the nursing students with clinical practice moderated the association between private self-consciousness and empathy for patients with cancer. Empathy was more affected by private self-consciousness among senior nursing students who were less satisfied with clinical practice than among those who were more satisfied with clinical practice. ConclusionTo improve empathy for patients with cancer, educational strategies must be created to improve the private self-consciousness and satisfaction with the clinical practice of nursing students.

Social anxiety, social comparison, self-consciousness, and deconversion in adolescents: a path analysis approach

ABSTRACT Adolescence is a time of biological, psychological, and social changes during which youth may undergo religious/spiritual (r/s) transformations. Previous studies on adolescents’ r/s transformations have focused on factors that predict involvement in or converting to a religion. Deconversion, which is going from being religious to leaving religion, is an instance of r/s transformation just as much as turning towards religion is. The present study analysed whether social variables – social anxiety and social comparison orientation – can be related to adolescent deconversion processes. Two alternative path models were examined. The study included 550 Polish adolescents (60.7% female), with the majority declaring a Catholic religion. The age of the respondents was from 14 to 18 years (M = 16.32, SD = 1.22). The Adolescent Deconversion Scale, the Retrospective Analysis of Religiosity, the Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure, and the Self-Consciousness Scale were used. The results showed that social anxiety is the main predictor of social comparison, and the relationship between social comparison and deconversion is mediated by private self-consciousness. Thus, social comparison emerging from social anxiety has the psychological potential to predict higher deconversion processes among adolescents.

Influence of Athletes' Self-Consciousness on the Factor of Choking under Pressure

Previous studies have shown that self-consciousness traits are closely related to choking under pressure (Baumeister, 1984; Wang et al., 2004). However, it has not be distinguished between private and public self-consciousness. This study investigated the influence of private and public self-consciousness of athletes on the factors of choking under pressure. 281 subjects were asked to respond to a questionnaire on choking factors (Murayama and Sekiya, 2012) and a self-consciousness scale (Tsuji, 1993), and data from 253 subjects were analyzed. The results showed that higher private and public self-consciousness had more choking experience. Furthermore, we examined the influence of private and public self-consciousness on the factors of choking and found that private self-consciousness showed significant positive effects to be associated with changes in motor control, vicious circles, abnormal physical sensations, and conscious processing (attention to movement). In contrast, public self-consciousness showed significant positive effects on changes in motor control and vicious circles, perceptual and cognitive confusion, feelings of physical heaviness and weakness, passivity, and safety-oriented strategies. The results indicate that private and public self-consciousness affect different factors of choking under pressure.

Shame, Guilt, and Self-Consciousness in Anorexia Nervosa.

the role of self-conscious emotions (SCE) such as shame and guilt in eating disorders (ED) has been systematically studied only in recent years, but it is still debated. This study aims to investigate the role of SCE in anorexia nervosa (AN), evaluating the role of self-consciousness. fifty-five individuals with AN and seventy-four healthy controls (HC) were enrolled and completed a battery of tests evaluating the proneness to feel shame and guilt, as well as comparing self-consciousness, eating, and general psychopathology. individuals with AN showed a higher proneness to shame. Shame was correlated with body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness, which are core symptoms in AN, after controlling for scores of depression and anxiety. Proneness to guilt seemed to be less correlated with eating and body symptomatology, but it appeared to have a negative correlation with binge-purging symptoms. Furthermore, proneness to shame was independent of guilt or self-consciousness and the two groups did not differ regarding public and private self-consciousness. shame is an important and independent factor in AN. Future research may offer progress in the development of shame-focused therapies.

Helping Others in Virtual Reality Increases Prosocial Self-understanding Among Adolescents.

Reflection on prosocial experiences may be helpful for adolescents highly attentive to their internal states (i.e., high private self-consciousness) to gain prosocial self-knowledge, yet adolescents with low private self-consciousness may not benefit from it. The current study proposed and examined that engaging in helping behavior would be beneficial for those with low private self-consciousness in self-understanding. Two experimental studies using immersive virtual environment technology were conducted to simulate helping situations. A total of 140 middle school students (n = 59, 47.5% female, Mage = 13.98, SD = 0.89, in Study 1; n = 81, 44.4% female, Mage = 15.31, SD = 1.18, in Study 2) completed the experiments. In both studies, adolescents engaging in helping behaviors identified themselves as more prosocial than those who did not engage in helping behaviors. In Study 2, adolescents' positive prosocial self-concept would increase more through engaging in prosocial behavior than by reflecting on past prosocial experiences. Furthermore, adolescents with high private self-consciousness can gain self-understanding both from self-reflection and engaging in prosocial behavior, whereas adolescents with low private self-consciousness benefit only from engaging in prosocial behavior. The findings suggest the need to consider individual differences and adopt appropriate ways of self-understanding when assisting adolescents' prosocial self-formation.

Self-reflection, insight, and mood disorder symptoms: Evaluating the short form of the self-reflection and insight scale with clinical interviews and self-reports

The 20-item Self-reflection and Insight Scale (SRIS) is a widely used measure of individual differences in self-focused attention and private self-consciousness. In the present research, we examined the validity of a 12-item short form of the SRIS, which was recently developed based on item response theory models. Measures related to mental health and well-being were used as criteria for evaluating the relative effect sizes for the long and short SRIS. In Study 1 (n = 278 adults), the short and long SRIS scores had highly similar correlations with dimensional measures of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms as well as with neuroticism. In Study 2 (n = 78 adults), participants were classified into major depression and healthy control groups based on structured clinical interviews. The short and long SRIS had similar profiles of differences between the two groups. Taken together, the studies suggest that the short forms effectively recover the effect sizes of the long forms, so the briefer SRIS would be a good option when time and survey space are tight.