Self-Concept Clarity

Self-concept clarity (Campbell et al., 1996) is a judgment not of the content of personality, as represented by trait ratings or narratives, but of the consistency of the self. That is, self-concept clarity is concerned with the degree to which individuals have a clear, well-defined, and stable perception of who they are on a day-to-day basis. Our work demonstrates that while it is concerned with self-consistency; self-concept clarity is itself a meaningful developmental construct that can facilitate a better understanding of the trajectories of personality trait maturation across adulthood and particularly in late life (Lodi-Smith et al., 2017).

Relevant publications

• Lodi-Smith, J, & DeMarree, K.M. (Eds.). (2018). Self-Concept Clarity. New York: Springer.

• Na, J., Chan, M.Y., Lodi-Smith, J., & Park, D.C. (2018). Social-class differences in self-concept clarity and their implications for well-being. The Journal of Health Psychology, 23, 951-960.

• Rodgers, J.D., Lodi-Smith, J., Hill, P.H., Spain, S.M., Lopata, C., & Thomeer, M.L. (2018). Personality traits and self-concept clarity mediate the relationship between autism spectrum disorder characteristics and well-being. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48, 307 – 315.

• Lodi-Smith, J., Cologgi, K., Spain, S.M., & Roberts, B.W. (2017). Development of identity clarity and content in adulthood. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 155, 755-768.

• Lodi-Smith, J. & Roberts, B.W. (2010). Getting to know me: Social role experiences mediate the relationship between self-concept clarity and age during adulthood. Journal of Personality, 78, 1383-1410.