ARTICLE
A double-edged sword: Positive and negative implications of the dialectical self
Minjoo Joo,
Susan E. Cross,
Corresponding Author
Minjoo Joo
Division of Social Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, Jiangsu, China
Correspondence
Minjoo Joo, Division of Social Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, No. 8 Duke Avenue, Kunshan, Jiangsu, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorSusan E. Cross
Department of Psychology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
Search for more papers by this author
Minjoo Joo,
Susan E. Cross,
Corresponding Author
Minjoo Joo
Division of Social Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, Jiangsu, China
Correspondence
Minjoo Joo, Division of Social Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, No. 8 Duke Avenue, Kunshan, Jiangsu, China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorSusan E. Cross
Department of Psychology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
Search for more papers by this author
First published: 09 August 2021
Statement of Relevance: We examined the effect of the dialectical self on participants' well-being and relationships by examining individuals' own, as well as their close others' perceptions. The study extends our understanding of how beliefs that one's self is malleable and in a state of flux may be related to lower well-being but also may be better for close relationships.
Abstract
The dialectical self is the belief that one's self-concept is inconsistent and malleable. This study examined the relations of the dialectical self to both personal well-being and interpersonal relationships, along with hypothesized mediators of these relations: self-concept control, self-concept consistency, and self-insight. A total of 140 participants completed measures of self-concept and well-being; in addition, friends of participants provided their assessment of the participant and their relationship. The results revealed that self-concept control and self-concept consistency serially mediated the relation between the dialectical self and (low) personal well-being. In contrast, having a highly dialectical self was positively related to liking by one's friends, and this relation was mediated by self-insight into one's own negative attributes.
Open Research
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author Minjoo Joo: [email protected] upon reasonable request.
Supporting Information
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| pere12398-sup-0001-Supinfo.docxWord 2007 document , 35.6 KB | Appendix S1. Supporting Information |
Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.
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