Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026
07:01
Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effects of Self-distancing in Young Children
Published on: March 1, 2019
Gender differentiation of indirect self-destructiveness
Konstantinos Tsirigotis1, Wojciech Gruszczyński, Marta Tsirigotis-Maniecka
1Department of Psychology, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Piotrków Trybunalski, Poland. psyche1@onet.eu
Summary
Masculinity is linked to higher indirect self-destructiveness, while femininity offers protection. These findings on gender differences in self-destructive behaviors are crucial for occupational health and safety interventions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Occupational Health
- Gender Studies
Background:
- Indirect self-destructiveness (ISD) and its manifestations require examination across different genders.
- Understanding the interplay between ISD, psychological masculinity, and femininity is vital for occupational health and safety assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gender-based differences in the intensity and forms of indirect self-destructiveness.
- To explore the relationships between ISD, its manifestations, and the psychological dimensions of masculinity and femininity.
- To assess the implications for occupational health and safety.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 558 individuals (399 females, 159 males) aged 19-25.
- Utilized the Polish version of the Chronic Self-Destructiveness Scale (CS-DS) to measure ISD.
- Employed the Polish version of the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) for gender role assessment.
Main Results:
- Males scored significantly higher than females on general ISD, Poor Health Maintenance, Lack of Planfulness, and Helplessness/Passiveness.
- Positive correlations were found between ISD scales and masculinity.
- Negative correlations were observed between ISD scales and femininity.
Conclusions:
- Masculinity may predispose individuals to indirectly self-destructive behaviors.
- Femininity appears to be a protective factor against such behaviors.
- Findings can inform prevention strategies and therapeutic interventions for self-destructive tendencies, considering gender and occupational contexts.
Related Concept Videos
02:05Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about the way you...
00:57Deindividuation
Deindividuation is a form of social influence on an individual’s behavior such that the individual engages in unusual or non-normal behavior while in a group setting. Why? Because in these group settings, the individual no longer sees themselves as an individual anymore, disinhibiting their behavior and personal restraint.
01:29Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...
01:12Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Phallic
The third stage of psychosexual development proposed by Freud is the phallic stage, occurring between the ages of 3 and 6. During this period, children become aware of their bodies and the differences between males and females. The erogenous zone in this stage is the genitals, and conflicts arise as children develop desires toward the opposite-sex parent. Boys experience the Oedipus complex, where they desire their mother and view their father as a rival. This leads to castration anxiety, the...
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
01:18Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience
Self-esteem, a crucial component of psychological development, is significantly shaped by familial experiences. The early parent-child relationship serves as a foundational influence on a child's self-concept, with long-lasting effects extending into adolescence and adulthood.Parental Behaviors and Early Self-Esteem FormationEmpirical studies have identified four principal parental behaviors that foster healthy self-esteem in children. These include expressions of acceptance, affection, and...