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Self-concept clarity lays the foundation for self-continuity: the restorative function of autobiographical memory

Self-concept clarity lays the foundation for self-continuity: the restorative function of autobiographical memory
Self-concept clarity lays the foundation for self-continuity: the restorative function of autobiographical memory
The current research concerns the relations among self-concept clarity, autobiographic memory, and self-continuity. We hypothesized, and tested in seven studies, that low self-concept clarity would disrupt self-continuity, but resorting to autobiographic memory would counter this disruption, thus restoring self-continuity. In Studies 1-2, low or threatened self-concept clarity was associated with decreased, or led to a decrease of, self-continuity. In Study 3, participants low (vs. high) in self-concept clarity manifested a stronger preference for an autobiographical memory task (but not for a control task). In Study 4, a suppressed mediational model of autobiographical memory received empirical backing: Threatened self-concept clarity decreased self-continuity, but also increased the propensity to evoke autobiographical memory, which fostered self-continuity. By manipulating autobiographical memory in different ways, Studies 5-7 provided additional direct evidence for the capacity of autobiographical memory to restore self-continuity. Taken together, the results converge in support of the hypothesis.
1-43
Jiang, T.
4ee7a4a3-a88a-4231-8dda-19df471c0d41
Cheng, Z.
55cdc1f8-d943-456f-b686-afb8d3db761b
Sedikides, Constantine
9d45e66d-75bb-44de-87d7-21fd553812c2
Jiang, T.
4ee7a4a3-a88a-4231-8dda-19df471c0d41
Cheng, Z.
55cdc1f8-d943-456f-b686-afb8d3db761b
Sedikides, Constantine
9d45e66d-75bb-44de-87d7-21fd553812c2

Jiang, T., Cheng, Z. and Sedikides, Constantine (2019) Self-concept clarity lays the foundation for self-continuity: the restorative function of autobiographical memory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1-43. (doi:10.1037/pspp0000259). (In Press)

Record type: Article

Abstract

The current research concerns the relations among self-concept clarity, autobiographic memory, and self-continuity. We hypothesized, and tested in seven studies, that low self-concept clarity would disrupt self-continuity, but resorting to autobiographic memory would counter this disruption, thus restoring self-continuity. In Studies 1-2, low or threatened self-concept clarity was associated with decreased, or led to a decrease of, self-continuity. In Study 3, participants low (vs. high) in self-concept clarity manifested a stronger preference for an autobiographical memory task (but not for a control task). In Study 4, a suppressed mediational model of autobiographical memory received empirical backing: Threatened self-concept clarity decreased self-continuity, but also increased the propensity to evoke autobiographical memory, which fostered self-continuity. By manipulating autobiographical memory in different ways, Studies 5-7 provided additional direct evidence for the capacity of autobiographical memory to restore self-continuity. Taken together, the results converge in support of the hypothesis.

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Jiang, Chen, & Sedikides, 2019, JPSP - Accepted Manuscript
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Jiang, Chen, & Sedikides, 2019, JPSP Supplementary Materials
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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 25 June 2019

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 432225
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/432225
PURE UUID: 0a6209c6-7cd9-46b2-9b1b-fc3f98800ec0
ORCID for Constantine Sedikides: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4036-889X

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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2019 16:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 07:58

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Contributors

Author: T. Jiang
Author: Z. Cheng

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