UNEMPLOYMENT AND SELF-CONCEPTION - A SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST ANALYSIS

A symbolic interactionist analysis of the relationship between unemplo yment and self-conception was tested using a cross-sectional questionn aire design (n = 88). Job loss had significant negative associations w ith reflected appraisals (perceived evaluations) from friends, family, employers, unemployed people and people in general. Significant relat ionships between reflected appraisals and the evaluative, consistency and involvement dimensions of self-concept were also observed. Consist ent with symbolic interactionist theory, path analysis showed that ref lected appraisals mediated the relationship between employment status and self-conception. Unemployment duration and gender both moderated t he effects of reflected appraisal upon self-conception such that refle cted appraisals were associated with different self-concept dimensions for unemployed men versus unemployed women and 'shorter' versus 'long er-term' unemployed people. Results are discussed in the context of re cent developments in the social psychology of the self-concept. Sugges tions for future research are outlined.