Acceptance by others and its relation to acceptance of self and others: a revaluation.

"Analysis of the data indicated that individuals with high self-acceptance scores tend also to accept others, to feel accepted by others, but actually to be neither more nor less accepted by others than those with low self-acceptance scores. Individuals with high acceptance-of-others scores tend in turn to feel accepted by others, and tend toward being accepted by them." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influence of anxiety on the relationship between self-acceptance and acceptance of others.

Tests of general and test anxiety were administered with a self-acceptance (SA)-acceptance of others (AO) questionnaire to 92 Ss to test the prediction that anxiety increased the usual SA-AO correlation. Results indicate that (a) anxiety is significantly associated with both lowered self-acceptance and lowered acceptance of others, (b) anxiety disrupts the SA-AO relationship by lowering self-acceptance at a greater rate than acceptance of others, (c) low anxiety permits the usual SA-AO correlation to exist. Conclusions were that (a) learning theory from which the prediction was derived is inadequate in self-theory areas of personality, (b) anxiety has a disruptive, yet systematic influence on the self-acceptance-acceptance of others relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescents' self-acceptance and perceptions of their parents.

Measures of self-acceptance, adjustment, perceived acceptance by parents and identification with them were correlated with 10 sub-tests of a parent-child relations questionnaire. Ss were 44 college freshman with a mean age of 18 yr. Adolescents high in self-acceptance and adjustment perceived their parents as loving and not as neglectful or rejecting. Ss' self-regard was more closely related to their mothers' than their fathers' child-rearing attitudes. Correlations between self-regard measures and evaluation of parents' child-rearing attitudes were higher for boys than for girls. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Generalization of verbally conditioned self-acceptance to social interaction in small group discussions.

Discusses generalization of change in a socially relevant variable during verbal conditioning trials to social behavior in small groups. On the basis of scores obtained on the E. M. Berger (see 27:7) scale of expressed acceptance-of-self and expressed acceptance-of-others, 2 groups of student nurses were selected for study: (a) a low self-acceptance group (low s-a) (N = 44), and (b) a high self-acceptance group (high s-a) (N =20). The low s-a Ss were randomly assigned to experimental (i.e., reinforced) and control (i.e., nonreinforced) conditions. All low s-a Ss participated in pre- and postconditioning, 4-person discussion groups. Similar preconditioning discussion groups were held for high s-a Ss. Berger scores of self-acceptance were significantly related to judges' ratings of self-acceptance in the group-discussion situation. Verbal conditioning of self-accepting responses on the Berger scale significantly increased judges' ratings of self-acceptance for those Ss who showed a high level of conditioning. (French summary) (17 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A multidimensional construct of self-esteem.

Presents a multidimensional conceptualization of self-esteem containing 4 dimensions: primary and conditional bases of self-acceptance, real-ideal congruence, and self-evaluation. The construct was empirically tested through 396 White, middle-class, suburban adolescents' self-reports to items describing esteem-related feelings and behaviors. Analysis produced a 4-dimensional structure embracing 7 item clusters highly congruent with the hypothesized construct. Item clusters included Well Being, Being Known, Showing Feeling, Social Sources (of self-acceptance), Performance Sources (of self-acceptance), Real-Ideal Congruence, and Self-Evaluation. Contrasts across sex and age subgroups showed comparable factor structures and item cluster correlations. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed significantly higher esteem on some clusters among females and older youth. Lower self-esteem was significantly correlated with higher reported stress and unwillingness to cooperate. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Defensiveness and self-acceptance in the management of hostility.

It was predicted that degree of self-acceptance (SA) and defensiveness (D) interact to influence the expression of hostility. It was hypothesized that Ss with low D and high SA (the adjustive) would express strongest feelings of anger with little anxiety associated with feelings of anger, while the high D/high SA person (the repressive) would express least anger, and the low D/low SA person (the anxious) would reveal high aggression-anxiety. Degree of SA was predicted to be inversely related to displacement of hostility. Ss (college students) were exposed to a frustrating situation (failure in a test situation with concomitant insult). The results generally supported the hypotheses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A study of counseling center hiring practices: What does it take for a woman to be hired?

Examined the effect of raters' level of self-acceptance on the ratings of 3 types of candidates for counselor jobs: a "traditional," woman, a "feminist," and a candidate with sex unspecified. Ss were 81 male counseling center directors, associate directors, and assistant directors. Self-acceptance was measured by the Phillips Self-Acceptance Scale. Ss rated candidates on 6 variables on 5-point Likert-type scales. Results of 2 * 3 analyses of variance reveal that Ss with higher self-acceptance were more likely to evaluate all candidates as more competent to help clients. The feminist candidate was rated significantly higher than the other 2 candidates on potential to deal with a wide range of emotional problems and on preparation to develop outreach programs. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in moral judgment and self-acceptance in college students as a function of companionship with hospitalized mental patients.

The present investigation describes studies undertaken to determine the effects of association with hospitalized mental patients on the personalities of 32 male college students who were compared to a control group of 24 comparable students who had not been involved in this experience with mental patients. The former demonstrate significant positive change in self-acceptance and in moral judgments concerning sexual and aggressive behaviors. The nature of the companionship experience is examined in order to elucidate the reasons for these changes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

School self-acceptance among Canadian Indian, White, and Metis children.

Compared 334 Indian, 197 non-Indian, and 92 Metis students (aged 10–19 yrs) on an aspect of self-concept, school self-acceptance. A follow-up study was conducted several months later with 40 Ss. Attempts were made to overcome weaknesses in prior research by gathering validity data on the self-concept measure and controlling for extraneous factors such as social assets that could account for Indian/non-Indian differences. Support was found for the prediction that Indian Ss would have lower school self-acceptance scores than White Ss. Metis Ss resembled Indians in their school self-acceptance scores, acculturation level, and social assets, but scored closer to Whites in their childrearing scale scores. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the social assets variable was the most important predictor of school self-acceptance, although the ethnicity factor remained a significant predictor. (French abstract) (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-ideal-self discrepancy and the choice of marital partner.

Theorized that marital choice occurs as a result of marital bargaining of which self-acceptance is a key negotiable asset. 4 hypotheses were formulated for 99 undergraduate couples who were "going steady" or were engaged: (a) persons became engaged to partners of similar degree of self-ideal-self acceptance, (b) the perception of the partner as similar or different depends on the degree of self-acceptance, (c) persons of low self-acceptance marry those whom they perceive as less desirable, (d) perceived role fit between perception of fiance and ideal spouse will be significantly greater than actual role fit (self-perception by 1 partner and ideal spouse desired by other partner). All hypotheses are confirmed. (16 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-acceptance, acceptance-of-others, and verbal conditioning with mental hospital patients.

A previous study by the authors with military personnel demonstrated that (a) the frequency of endorsement of self-accepting questionnaire items can be increased by standard verbal conditioning techniques, and (b) this increase generalizes to similar but novel items as well as to items indicative of more positive attitudes towards others. The present study attempted to extend these findings to 60 male hospitalized psychiatric patients who scored low on a selected portion of a self-acceptance questionnaire. Experimental Ss were reinforced for accepting responses to 18 self-acceptance items on 3 successive days, while controls received no reinforcement. A postexperimental scale, comprising the original 18 self-acceptance items and an additional 32 novel items, was administered to all Ss. Results support the previous findings, showing that attitudes, which are theoretically relevant to social interaction, can be modified by means of verbal conditioning techniques. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship of masculinity to self-esteem and self-acceptance in female professionals, college students, clients, and victims of domestic violence.

Investigated the relationship of masculinity to self-esteem and self-acceptance in female professionals (n?=?89), clients (n?=?52), victims of domestic violence (n?=?57), and college students (n?=?83). Ss ranged in age from 19 to 65 yrs. Ss completed the Personal Orientation Inventory, the Bem Sex-Role Inventory, Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale, and a demographic data sheet. Correlations were used to examine the relationship and relative predictive significance of masculinity, femininity, education, occupation, and locus of control to self-esteem and self-acceptance. Masculinity was the best predictor of self-esteem in all groups and the best predictor of self-acceptance in all groups except professionals. Femininity was generally irrelevant, and a significant negative correlation was found between education and self-acceptance among professionals. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relation of masculinity to self-esteem and self-acceptance in male professionals, college students, and clients.

Previous studies that have suggested that masculinity is a strong predictor of mental health have been generally limited to college student populations or have focused specifically on women. This study investigated the relation of masculinity to self-esteem and self-acceptance in male professionals (n?=?96), clients (n?=?55), and college students (n?=?73). The Personal Orientation Inventory, Bem Sex Role Inventory, and Rotter Internal–External Locus of Control Scale were administered to the subjects, along with a demographic data sheet. Correlations were used to investigate the relation and relative predictive significance of masculinity, femininity, education, occupation, and locus of control to self-esteem and self-acceptance. Masculinity was found to be the best predictor of self-esteem for male professionals and clients, and the best predictor of self-acceptance for clients. Femininity did not correlate with self-esteem or self-acceptance in any group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mind the gap: Increasing associations between the self and blacks with approach behaviors.

Although perceived differences between outgroup social categories and the self are often cited as a major contributor to prejudice and intergroup tension, surprisingly few studies have examined ways to improve associations between the self and racial outgroups. The present research investigated one strategy to increase these associations—approach training. Specifically, 3 studies investigated the impact of training participants to conceptually approach Blacks on 3 separate measures: 2 response latency measures indexing the strength of association between the self and Blacks and a psychophysiological measure indexing brain activity in response to Blacks in the context of the self. A fourth study examined the link between earlier research on the impact of approach training on implicit prejudice against Blacks and the current results related to self–Black associations. Together, these findings provided consistent evidence that training in approaching Blacks increases associations between the self and Blacks that in turn reduce implicit prejudice against Blacks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-acceptance and self-disclosure of sexual orientation in lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults: An attachment perspective.

A model linking attachment variables with self-acceptance and self-disclosure of sexual orientation was tested using data from 489 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults. The model included the following 4 domains of variables: (a) representations of childhood attachment experiences with parents, (b) perceptions of parental support for sexual orientation, (c) general working model of attachment, and (d) LGB variables. Results generally supported the proposed model. For example, attachment avoidance and anxiety were associated with self-acceptance difficulties, and avoidance was associated with low levels of outness in everyday life. Parental attachment had an indirect effect on identity and outness through its associations with parental LGB support and general attachment. Some results varied depending on participants' gender and parental religious affiliation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality change as a function of volunteer experience in a psychiatric hospital.

Tested 416 college students for degree of moral tolerance and self-acceptance before and after completing undergraduate psychology courses. 16 of the students concurrently did volunteer work in mental hospitals. The within-Ss analysis indicates the volunteer experience did not significantly change the moral tolerance scores, whereas it did result in greater self-acceptance scores. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Growth effects of experiential movement psychotherapy.

Examined growth effects promoted by experiential movement psychotherapy, a therapeutic approach integrating felt-movement, imagery, and thought through a single unified process. Pre/post measures obtained from 2 experimental groups (volunteer participants in experiential movement psychotherapy groups) were compared with pre/post measures obtained from 2 control groups (a ballet class and a waiting-list control group drawn from the same population as the experimental groups). Evidence of significant change attributable to experiential movement psychotherapy is presented with respect to 6 measures of degree of self-actualization (inner-directedness, existentiality, feeling reactivity, spontaneity, self-acceptance, and capacity for intimate contact) as measured by the Personal Orientation Inventory, and on physical body-self acceptance as assessed by the Body-Cathexis Scale. Preliminary findings relative to a measure of individual expressive movement range—the Dosamantes-Alperson Expressive Movement Scale—are described. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality factors related to creativity in young scientists.

Male science majors designated as Higher Creative (HC) or Lower Creatives (LC) on the basis of scores on a creativity test battery were given personality tests. The HC group scored higher than the LC group on: composite personality originality; cognitive flexibility, time since first interest in science; dominance, sociability, social presence, and self-acceptance. The HC group scored lower on: socialization, self-control, desire to make a good impression, and affection. The HC group showed greater integration of nonconscious material as pertaining to concepts of self, father, and mother than did the LC group; the 2 groups differed in degree of conscious identification with mother (HC less than LC). (36 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relational self revealed: Integrative conceptualization and implications for interpersonal life.

The authors offer a new, integrative conceptualization of the relational self based on a synthesis of recent approaches to the self and significant others. This conceptualization provides a sharper and fuller definition of the relational self than does any existing approach alone and a common framework to interpret findings from separate literatures. The authors then present 5 propositions and evidence to support the thesis that relational selves exert a pervasive influence on interpersonal life. Specifically, relational selves (a) shape a wide range of psychological processes and outcomes, (b) exert their influence automatically, (c) serve basic orientation and meaning functions, (d) provide continuity and context-specific variability in personality, and (e) carry implications for psychological well-being. Discussion focuses on remaining issues and implications for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of Self-Regulation: Research, Theory, and Applications.

This article provides a review of the "Handbook of Self-Regulation: Research, Theory, and Applications" (see record 2004-00163-000). The topic of self-regulation is currently receiving increasing attention in various areas of psychological research. Many psychological disorders (such as depression, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder etc.) as well as addictions and risk-taking behaviour are believed to involve some kind of failure of self-regulation. Self-regulation is a concept that crosses domains. For this reason, self-regulation is, as the editors of the the book remark, "simply too large, diverse, and important a topic not to have a handbook". The editors of the Handbook define self-regulation as "processes by which the human psyche exercises control over its functions, states, and inner processes". This broad definition serves as the umbrella under which multiple areas of self-regulation research are presented. The book comprises six sections, which progress from consideration of basic processes, to applications of theory and research to "everyday problems" of self-regulation. Each chapter is self-contained, allowing one to select and focus on topics of interest. At the same time, the individual chapters provide neither a systematic discussion and comparison of different views on self-regulation, nor an exhaustive review of the literature. Furthermore, because the authors of the individual chapters largely focus on the presentation of their approach to self-regulation, the Handbook reflects the fragmented and kaleidoscopic state of self-regulation research in general. The book is a good choice for anyone with an interest in self-regulation, particularly anyone who seeks a collation of the literature, summaries of key concepts, and an idea of where the field of self-regulation is headed in the future. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)