| Self-systems process self-relevant information, act as platforms for action, maintain well-being, and shape interpersonal relationships. To perform these functions, coherent self-structure of evaluatively consistent self-aspects is required. Coherence is experienced as self-certainty (self-concept clarity, confidence, constancy). The issue is addressed from a dynamical systems perspective that conceptualizes the self as a complex system of self-organizing interdependent cognitive/affective elements. Self-structure coherence (SSC) is hypothesized to produce self-certainty, self-esteem, self-stability; extreme, positive, and confident self-evaluations of traits, roles; abstract mental representations; and consistency in self-evaluation. SSC is operationalized by entropy , an index of organization vs. disorganization of self-view. Participants (N = 135) indicated the frequency (always to never) of Big Five traits deconstructed into levels (extremely to not at all; e.g., how often are you highly helpful?). Endorsement of frequent vs. infrequent levels indicates self-structure coherence whereas equiprobable endorsement indicates self-structure incoherence of self-view. Participants indicated their standing on, certainty about, and personal importance of traits and roles; completed Rosenberg's (1968) self-esteem/self-stability scale, behavior identification form, and unipolar Big Five inventory. Coherent SSCs had higher self-certainty, self-esteem, and self-stability; more extreme, positive trait and role self-evaluations; and more abstract action representations than fragmented SSCs. Dynamics of self and structural features were examined using the mouse paradigm that captures moment-to-moment self-evaluation of stream-of-thought. Self-attention modes are hypothesized to affect evaluative coherence in fragmented vs. coherent individuals. Considering action evokes inconsistent self-evaluation (repair, N = 22) while planning action evokes consistent self-evaluation (expression, N = 22) and thinking about the self may evoke either state (control; N = 10). Fragmented SSCs showed a relationship between SSC and volatility of positive/negative self-evaluation in repair but not express mode. There was no difference in volatility between express and repair but there was greater volatility in control mode. These findings suggest that (a) considering action activates uncertainty for those with fragmented vs. coherent self-structures and (b) thinking about social interaction forges evaluative consistency for fragmented and coherent individuals. Self-structure coherence may allow the self vs. others to guide one's actions, facilitate self-concept maintenance, improve self-regulatory processes, and increase understanding of self and others. |
