THE DIVIDED SELF - CONCURRENT AND LONGITUDINAL EFFECTS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT AND SOCIAL ROLES ON SELF-CONCEPT DIFFERENTIATION

The relation between self-concept differentiation (SCD), the tendency to see one self as having different personality characteristics in dif ferent social roles, and psychological adjustment was examined in a sa mple of college students and a sample of middle-aged women. In both st udies, Ss with high levels of SCD showed poor emotional adjustment (e. g., depression) and tended to reject social norms and conventions (e.g ., low socialization). Longitudinal analyses demonstrated that these s ame characteristics measured at age 21 predicted SCD measured more tha n 30 years later in middle age. These findings provide strong evidence that SCD is a sign of fragmentation of the self rather than specializ ation of role identities. The social context was also an important det erminant of SCD; both dissatisfaction with role performance and freque nt role changes in relationships and jobs predicted SCD measured 9 yea rs later.