The Multifaceted Nature of Self-Consciousness: Conceptualization, Measurement, and Consequences

The present work involves the reconceptualization of self-consciousness as a multifaceted process. In the first study, subjects were asked to freely describe the contents of their thoughts when thinking about themselves. Content analyses resulted in the definition of specific categories of self-consciousness which were found to overlap partly with basic dimensions of the self-concept. In the second study, a valid and reliable self-report questionnaire of self-consciousness was developed, comprising fourteen separate factors. In the third study, different patterns of self-consciousness were found to be associated with depression, anxiety, self-disclosure, and loneliness. The theoretical and empirical implications of conceptualizing self-consciousness as a multiple-content phenomenon are discussed.