The Empirical Study concerning the Effects of the Flexibility of the Self-concept on the Mental Health : a Critical View against the Consistency of the Self-concept

本研究旨在探讨自我概念的调节功能，特别是考察了整体自我信念的相互关系模式对心理健康的影响。从格式塔的角度出发，我们认为，一个特定的自我信念模式，作为一个整体，具有明显的心理学意义，而不仅仅是作为独立要素的自我信念。这里关注的相互关系有三个截然不同的自我方面：“应该自我”、“真实自我”和“可以自我”。自我信念模式被定义为这三种自我信念之间的“不一致”。所谓“自我信念之间的不一致”，是指这三种自我信念的强度之间存在差异的程度。例如，LMH类型表示低的“应该自我”、中等的“实际自我”和高的“可以自我”。我们还提出，“可以自我”可能从整体上决定了自我信念模式的效价。我们预测…携带者积极的不一致相互关系模式(具有较高“自我”的不一致相互关系模式)比消极不一致相互关系模式表现出更高的心理健康水平。此外，从认知复杂性的角度来看，积极不一致相关模式比正向一致相关模式(HHH型)具有更好的心理健康，因为前者包含更复杂的自我观点，而后者包含简单的认知风格。在第二项研究中，我们考察了因果归因风格与大学生心理健康的关系。消极的经历和自我信念的不一致。结果表明，具有积极不一致相互关系模式的人更有可能认为以某种消极事件的方式表达的消极事件将来不会再次发生，这也不会损害除给定自我方面以外的自我方面的自尊。在最后一项研究中，我们调查了积极不一致相关模式的人更好的心理健康的原因。根据Scott(1960)的定义，正向不一致相互关系可以解释为灵活的认知风格，因为三种自我信念的程度之间不存在极强的相关。我们认为，这种灵活的认知方式将使人们能够灵活地采取适当的策略来解决压力。我们的结果表明，具有正向不一致相互关系的人更有可能根据应激情境的性质改变策略。这些结果支持了我们的假设，即在积极的不一致的相互关系模式中的灵活性将导致更好的心理健康。较少

The purpose of this study aims at investigating the regulatory functions of the self-concept, in particular, we examined the effects of the interrelation patterns of the self-beliefs as a whole on the mental health. Taking a "Gestalt" perspective, we propose that a particular pattern of self-beliefs, as a whole, has a distinct psychological significance, not just the self-beliefs as independent elements. The interrelations focused on here were of three distinct self-aspects; "should self ", "actual self", and "can self". Patterns of self-beliefs were defined as the "inconsistency" among these three self-beliefs. By the "inconsistency among the self-beliefs" is meant the degree to which there exit the differences among the strength of each of these three self-beliefs. LMH type, for example, signifies low "should self", middle "actual self" and high "can self". We also propose that "can self" may determine the valence of the self-belief pattern as a whole. We predicted that persons with … More the positive inconsistent interrelation patterns (inconsistent interrelation patterns with high "can self") would show higher mental health than those with negative inconsistent interrelation patterns. In addition, from the viewpoint of cognitive complexity, positive inconsistent interrelation patterns were expected to show better mental health than those with positive consistent interrelation (HHH type), for the former consists of more complex self-view whereas the Latter contains simple cognitive style. The findings were along with predictions.In the second study, we examined the relationship between the causal attribution style about. negative experiences and inconsistency among self-beliefs. It turned out that persons with positive inconsistent interrelation patterns were more likely to think the negative events in such an articulated way as a certain negative event would not occur in future again nor would this harm the self-esteem in the self-aspects other than a given self-aspect. In the last study, we investigated what caused the better mental health of persons with positive inconsistent interrelation pattern. Based on the Scott's definition (1960), positive inconsistent interrelation can be interpreted as flexible cognitive style, for there doesn't exist extremely strong correlations among the degree of three self-beliefs. We suggest that this flexible cognitive style will enable people to flexibly take the appropriate strategies for the stress-solving. Our results indicated that persons with positive inconsistent interrelations were more likely to change the strategies in accordance with the property of the stressful situation. These results support our hypothesis that the flexibility in the positive inconsistent interrelation patterns will lead to better mental health. Less