Differences in Results of Inferential Self Measurement in Self-Concept Analysis

Abstract

To test the hypothesis that the independent measurement of the ideal-self concept and the social-self concept produces quite different results, adjective check lists were administered to two independent samples of students ( n1 = 44; n2 = 47) under varying instructions; one set to measure the ideal-basic relationship and one for measuring the social-basic relationship. The first sample ( n = 44) was administered two separate word lists with different instructions. The second sample, chosen to control for practice effect and the influence upon the results of the adjectives themselves, was administered only one of the adjective check lists, with the same instructions as those pertaining to the separate word lists administered to Sample 1. An ABBA design was used with the second sample. Results tended to confirm the hypothesis that significant distinctions exist between ideal-self and social-self perceptions.