Hanging in the balance: the role of self-construal abstractness in navigating self-relevant uncertainty.
People inevitably face moments of uncertainty as they await feedback regarding self-relevant life outcomes, but they react to this uncertainty with varying amounts of anxiety. Self-construal abstractness (SCA) may be one key predictor of anxiety in the face of uncertain outcomes. SCA refers to a broad self-concept based on generalizations rather than a detailed, low-level self-concept that is based on specific behaviors or events. The current studies examined SCA and anxiety over self-relevant uncertainty. Studies 1 and 2 measured naturally occurring levels of SCA and found that reflecting on an abstract self-construal buffered people from anxiety when upcoming evaluative feedback was highly self-relevant (Study 1) and immediate (Study 2). Study 3 revealed that SCA is equally effective as a buffer against anxiety when manipulated with a subtle prime. The potential for SCA to serve as the target for anxiety-reduction interventions in uncertain situations is discussed.
Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA. arezou.cavanaugh@email.ucr.edu
Arezou Ghane
AG
Cavanaugh
Kate M
KM
Sweeny
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D004532:Ego; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D018187:Personal Construct Theory; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035501:Uncertainty; D055815:Young Adult