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Representations of self and other: a semantic space model
D Hart1, N P Field, J R Garfinkle
1Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ 08102, USA.
Journal of Personality
|March 1, 1997
Summary
This study introduces a personality model where self and other concepts exist in a semantic space. Spatial arrangements predict mood and self-evaluation, offering a dynamic view of personality beyond trait dimensions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Personality research often focuses on traits, but the internal representation of self and others is crucial for understanding psychological states.
- Existing models may not fully capture the dynamic and relational aspects of self-perception and social cognition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and validate a semantic space model of personality.
- To investigate how the spatial arrangement of self and other representations relates to mood and self-evaluation.
- To compare the predictive power of the semantic space model against related representational models.
Main Methods:
- Developing a semantic space model where representations of the self (actual, ideal) and others are mapped.
- Analyzing the spatial proximities among these representations.
- Correlating spatial proximities with measures of mood, self-evaluation, and established personality dimensions (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness).
Main Results:
- The spatial proximity of representations significantly predicts self-esteem and self-evaluative moods.
- These predictions remain significant even when controlling for major personality dimensions.
- The relationships between representation proximity and psychological outcomes are mediated by other representations, highlighting dynamic system properties.
Conclusions:
- The semantic space model provides a novel framework for understanding personality and self-representation.
- The model demonstrates that the spatial organization of internal representations is a key determinant of psychological well-being and mood.
- This approach offers superior predictive accuracy compared to several existing models of self and other representations.
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