Showing papers in "Self and Identity in 2013"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the link between self-compassion and concern for the well-being of others and found that higher levels of selfcompassion were significantly linked to more perspective taking, less personal distress, and greater forgiveness.
Abstract: The present study examined the link between self-compassion and concern for the well-being of others. Other-focused concern variables included compassion for humanity, empathetic concern, perspective taking, personal distress, altruism and forgiveness. Participants included 384 college undergraduates, 400 community adults, and 172 practicing meditators. Among all participant groups, higher levels of self-compassion were significantly linked to more perspective taking, less personal distress, and greater forgiveness. Self-compassion was linked to compassion for humanity, empathetic concern, and altruism among community adults and meditators but not college undergraduates. The strength of the association between self-compassion and other-focused concern also varied according to participant group and gender. The strongest links tended to be found among meditators, while women tended to show weaker associations than men.
446 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored whether being self-compassionate is linked to healthier romantic relationship behavior, such as being more caring and supportive rather than controlling or verbally aggressive with partners.
Abstract: Self-compassion (SC) involves being kind to oneself when confronting personal inadequacies or situational difficulties, framing the imperfection of life in terms of common humanity, and being mindful of negative emotions so that one neither suppresses nor ruminates on them. The current study explored whether being self-compassionate is linked to healthier romantic relationship behavior, such as being more caring and supportive rather than controlling or verbally aggressive with partners. A total of 104 couples participated in the study, with self-reported SC levels being associated with partner reports of relationship behavior. Results indicated that self-compassionate individuals displayed more positive relationship behavior than those who lacked SC. SC was also a stronger predictor of positive relationship behavior than trait self-esteem (SE) or attachment style. Finally, partners were able to accurately report on each other's SC levels, suggesting that SC is an observable trait.
314 citations
TL;DR: The authors examined the link between self-compassion and the balance of the needs of self and other in conflict situations and found that higher levels of selfcompassion were related to greater likelihood to compromise and lesser likelihood to self-subordinate needs, as well as greater authenticity, lower levels of emotional turmoil, and higher level of relational well-being.
Abstract: This study examined the link between self-compassion and the balance of the needs of self and other in conflict situations. College undergraduates (N = 506) were asked to provide an example of a time in which their needs conflicted with those of their mother, father, best friend and romantic partner. Participants were asked how they resolved the conflict (subordinating, self-prioritizing, or compromising). They also reported whether their resolution choice felt authentic, the degree of emotional turmoil experienced when resolving the conflict, and their sense of well-being in each relational context. Across contexts, higher levels of self-compassion were related to greater likelihood to compromise and lesser likelihood to self-subordinate needs, as well as greater authenticity, lower levels of emotional turmoil, and higher levels of relational well-being. With fathers and romantic partners, the link between self-compassion and well-being was mediated by greater likelihood to make compromise decisions.
285 citations
TL;DR: This article found that trait humility was associated with greater group status and acceptance, while unforgiveness predicted unforgiving motives (lagged by one time-point), and the round-robin ratings were used over three measurement occasions to evaluate whether trait humility predicted formation of strong social bonds.
Abstract: A theory of relational humility asserts that humility can promote strengthening social bonds. To complement prior, cross-sectional research on this topic, two longitudinal studies were conducted. In Study 1, college students in romantic relationships (N = 123), all of whom had been hurt or offended by their partners within the last two months, completed measures of humility and unforgiveness for six consecutive weeks. Relational humility predicted unforgiving motives (lagged by one time-point). In Study 2, we examined college students (N = 84) in small groups that did three tasks intended to challenge humility. Round-robin ratings were used over the course of three measurement occasions to evaluate whether trait humility predicted formation of strong social bonds. As predicted, trait humility was associated with greater group status and acceptance. We concluded that, by using longitudinal methods, there is support for the proposition that humility can help repair and form relationships with strong social ...
152 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the role of self-compassion in moderating students' reactions to social and academic difficulties in the transition to college was studied, and participants who scored higher in selfcompassion weathered difficulties more successfully, reported lower homesickness and less depression, and expressed greater satisfaction with their decision to attend college.
Abstract: Life transitions that include moving to a new location are stressful, particularly if difficulties arise in the new environment. This study focused on the role of self-compassion in moderating students' reactions to social and academic difficulties in the transition to college. Before starting college, 119 students completed a measure of self-compassion, the degree to which people treat themselves kindly during distressing situations. At the end of their first semester, participants answered questions about their social and academic difficulties and completed measures of homesickness, depression, and satisfaction with their decision to attend the university. Students who scored higher in self-compassion weathered difficulties more successfully, reported lower homesickness and less depression, and expressed greater satisfaction with their decision to attend the university.
135 citations
TL;DR: This article found that disability identification predicted greater use of collective strategies, and higher collective and personal self-esteem, controlling for visibility and proportion of lifetime with disability, and that group identification may be self-protective.
Abstract: People cope with stigma via individualistic strategies that minimize stigmatized attributes, and collective strategies that positively redefine stigmatized traits. Guided by social identity theory, we surveyed people with hidden and visible disabilities to investigate the association between disability identification and strategy use. Further, we tested the prediction that self-esteem (collective and personal) varies by disability identification and strategy use. Across two surveys of adults with disabilities (Ns = 93 and 268), disability identification predicted greater use of collective strategies, and higher collective and personal self-esteem, controlling for visibility and proportion of lifetime with disability. These findings support the prediction from social identity theory that group identification may be self-protective. Findings also support the sociopolitical model within disability studies, providing theory-based empirical evidence that working for social change empowers both one's group and ...
132 citations
TL;DR: The authors found that self-uncertainty would be associated with greater support for autocratic leaders and less support for non-autocratic leaders, and the effect was mediated by perceived group prototypicality of the leader.
Abstract: Building on uncertainty-identity theory and the social identity theory of leadership we hypothesized that self-uncertainty would be associated with greater support for autocratic leaders, and less support for non-autocratic leaders. We surveyed organizational employees (N = 215); assessing the effect of self-uncertainty and how autocratic they perceived their organizational leader to be on measures of leader support. As predicted, less self-uncertain participants were more supportive of a non-autocratic than autocratic leader, whereas the opposite was the case for more self-uncertain participants—they were more supportive of an autocratic than non-autocratic leader. The effect was mediated by perceived group prototypicality of the leader. Implications for uncertainty-identity theory and for a wider analysis of the role of uncertainty in leadership are discussed.
104 citations
TL;DR: Inmates’ perceived stigma was significantly higher than students’ stigmatizing attitudes, and perceived stigma positively predicted post-release employment for African-American inmates, but not for Caucasians.
Abstract: Research shows that offenders perceive stigma, but the accuracy of these perceptions has not been assessed, nor their impact on successful reintegration. In a longitudinal study, jail inmates (N = 168) reported perceptions of stigma toward criminals and anticipated stigma just prior to release. A diverse college sample completed a parallel survey assessing stigmatizing attitudes toward criminals. Inmates' perceived stigma was significantly higher than students' stigmatizing attitudes. Perceived stigma positively predicted post-release employment for African-American inmates, but not for Caucasians. Anticipated stigma negatively predicted arrests for Caucasian inmates, but not for African Americans. Perceived and anticipated stigma may have different implications for reintegration, and these implications may vary across race.
68 citations
TL;DR: The self-expansion model states that an expanded self-concept is associated with an increased sense of self-efficacy as discussed by the authors, and four studies have been conducted to test this central tenet in a non-relational context.
Abstract: The self-expansion model states that an expanded self-concept is associated with an increased sense of self-efficacy. We conducted four studies (three correlational, one experimental) to test this central tenet of the self-expansion model in a non-relational context. Results indicate that self-concept size (Studies 1 and 2) and subjective sense of self-concept (Study 3) were positively associated with greater self-efficacy. In Study 4, individuals who were randomly assigned to physically expand a representation of their self-concept reported greater self-efficacy at resolving potential problems than those who contracted a self-representation or left it unchanged. Taken together, these four studies provide the first empirical evidence that expanded self-concepts lead to greater self-efficacy.
66 citations
TL;DR: The dualistic model of passion proposes two distinct types of passion, obsessive and harmonious, that predict less and more adaptive outcomes, respectively as mentioned in this paper, and two studies tested the hypothesis that individuals with an obsessive passion for an activity (being associated with an insecure sense of self) benefit more from self-enhancement in terms of life satisfaction.
Abstract: The dualistic model of passion proposes two distinct types of passion, obsessive and harmonious, that predict less and more adaptive outcomes, respectively. Two studies tested the hypothesis that individuals with an obsessive passion for an activity (being associated with an insecure sense of self) benefit more from self-enhancement in terms of life satisfaction. Study 1 (N = 119) showed that the more participants endorsed an obsessive passion, the stronger the association was between self-enhancement within the activity and life satisfaction. Harmonious passion was unrelated to this association. Study 2 (N = 318) replicated these findings with an experimental design. The results establish passion as a moderator of the association between self-enhancement and life satisfaction.
66 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a survey of undergraduates showed that attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety predicted low levels of self-actualization and actualization of potential, while self-competence mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and actualisation of potential.
Abstract: There are parallels between attachment needs (Bowlby, 1969/1982) and the love- and esteem-needs Maslow (1943) identified in his theory of self-actualization, which later included the other-oriented concept of self-transcendence (Koltko-Rivera, 2006). Our aim was to integrate these two theories of personality. A survey of undergraduates (N = 130) showed that attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety predicted low levels of self-actualization and actualization of potential. Attachment avoidance predicted low self-transcendence. Low self-liking partially mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and low self-actualization, and low self-liking and self-competence partially mediated the relationship between attachment avoidance and low self-actualization. Furthermore, self-competence mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and actualization of potential. Theoretical implications are discussed.
TL;DR: The findings suggest that comparing self to standards can occur automatically and that it is attention to self, not awareness of the self per se, that evokes self-evaluation.
Abstract: Objective self-awareness theory contends that focusing attention on the self initiates an automatic comparison of self to standards. To gain evidence for automatic self–standard comparison processes, two experiments manipulated attention to self with subliminal first-name priming. People completed a computer-based parity task after being instructed that the standard was to be fast or to be accurate. Subliminal first-name priming increased behavioral adherence to the explicit standard. When told to be fast, self-focused people made more mistakes and had faster response times; when told to be accurate, self-focused people made fewer mistakes. A manipulation of conscious self-awareness (via a mirror) had the same self-regulatory effects. The findings suggest that comparing self to standards can occur automatically and that it is attention to self, not awareness of the self per se, that evokes self-evaluation.
TL;DR: This article found that people more appropriately use their knowledge of situational pressures when engaging in social rather than self-predictions, yet failed to do so when making self-propagation.
Abstract: Are people better self- or social psychologists when they predict prosocial behavior? Why might people be more or less accurate when predicting their own and others' actions? In two studies, participants considered variants of situations classically known to influence helping behavior (being alone vs. in a group, being in a good rather than bad mood). Participants made predictions about how they and their peers would act. Their predictions revealed that participants incorporated situational variations into social predictions, yet failed to do so when making self-predictions. These errors in self-prediction were not generated by response scale-type. This evidence suggests that people more appropriately use their knowledge of situational pressures when engaging in social rather than self-predictions.
TL;DR: This article investigated whether narcissism is associated with genuine self-insight and found that individuals higher in narcissism agree with close others that they behave in explicitly narcissistic ways (e.g., brag), view narcissism as an individually desirable trait but not necessarily as a socially desirable trait; and strive to be more narcissistic.
Abstract: Narcissists describe themselves as narcissistic (e.g., arrogant). Do they have self-insight, or do they simply misunderstand the behavioral manifestations or consequences of narcissism? With two samples (undergraduates N = 86, 65% female, M age = 20; MTurk N = 234, 62% female, M age = 35), the current paper investigates whether narcissism is associated with genuine self-insight. Findings suggest that individuals higher in narcissism: (a) agree with close others (informant N = 217) that they behave in explicitly narcissistic ways (e.g., brag); (b) view narcissism as an individually desirable trait but not necessarily as a socially desirable trait; and (c) strive to be more narcissistic. Thus, it appears that narcissists truly grasp the behavioral and social significance of their narcissism.
TL;DR: This paper found that all participants regulated behaviors through the use of strategies; used future thinking to gather information about progress; and derived incentive about themselves as teachers, and found that for many participants possible selves changed, in response to reflection, mentors and experiences.
Abstract: Researchers see the value of future-oriented thinking for teacher development. Inthis study, ten teacher candidates (Elementary = 1; Middle-level = 2; Secondary = 6; All-level = 1) from a large university in the southwestern United States were interviewed about their teacher “possible selves,” and the regulative role these had on learning-to-teach behaviors. We found that all participants regulated behaviors through the use of strategies; used future thinking to gather information about progress; and derived incentive about themselves as teachers. We also found that for many participants possible selves changed, in a relatively short period of time, in response to reflection, mentors and experiences. This work contributes to a growing body of evidence concerning the usefulness of teacher identity in thinking about teacher development.
TL;DR: In this paper, a variety of role exits and role entries were examined as potential predictors of self-concept clarity, and moderate support for a model in which these patterns of results are mediated by increased social isolation and reduced stability of behavioral routines.
Abstract: A variety of role exits and role entries were examined as potential predictors of self-concept clarity. Using a large, nationally-representative sample of adults, we assessed the number of role exits and role entries each respondent had experienced in the past year. Although both role exits and role entries were negatively correlated with self-concept clarity, subsequent analyses indicated that only role exits significantly predicted self-concept clarity when controlling for demographics, physical health, and self-esteem. Additionally, we found moderate support for a model in which these patterns of results are mediated by increased social isolation and reduced stability of behavioral routines. We discuss the implications of these findings for our understanding of major life transitions and the psychological impact of social roles.
TL;DR: This article examined social goals of interpersonal agency (status, power) and communion (affiliation, closeness) in association with narcissism, empathy, and generalized perceptions of self and others.
Abstract: This study examined social goals of interpersonal agency (status, power) and communion (affiliation, closeness) in association with narcissism, empathy, and generalized perceptions of self and others in two studies of undergraduates. In Study 1 (N = 504) as well as Study 2 (N = 225), narcissism was positively and empathy negatively associated with agentic goals, whereas self-esteem, empathy, and generalized perception of others were positively related to communal goals. Longitudinal analysis in Study 2 indicated that narcissism predicted increases in agentic goals, whereas a positive perception of others was associated with increases in communal goals. The findings are discussed in light of theoretical and practical implications for the study of social goals, interpersonal agency and communion, and the development of social motivation.
TL;DR: In this paper, the interaction of self-control strength and state anxiety was found to predict perceptual-motor performance in a hand-eye coordination task, and a statistically significant negative relation between anxiety and performance was found.
Abstract: We tested the hypothesis that the interaction of self-control strength and state anxiety predicts perceptual–motor performance in a hand–eye coordination task. We predicted a stronger negative relation between anxiety and performance in a perceptual–motor task for participants whose self-control strength had been temporarily depleted compared to participants whose self-control strength was intact. In an experiment (N = 60), we manipulated self-control strength, measured state anxiety after an evaluative instruction, and assessed performance in the board game Operation as an indicator of perceptual–motor performance. The data supported our hypothesis: Only for participants whose self-control strength was temporarily depleted was there a statistically significant negative relation between anxiety and performance. Boosting self-control strength may help to prevent the potentially negative anxiety effects.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compared self-stereotyping, in-group-sterestotyping and out-groupstereoing among members of high- and low-status groups.
Abstract: We compared self-stereotyping, in-group-stereotyping, and out-group-stereotyping, among members of high- and low-status groups. Because gender inequality is still present in society, we operationalized status in terms of gender. We considered the male (female) gender category to possess relatively high (low) status. As predicted on the basis of an extension of Mullen's model (1991), Italian men showed significant levels of out-group-stereotyping, but no significant levels of self-stereotyping or in-group-stereotyping. In contrast, Italian women showed significant levels of self-stereotyping, in-group-stereotyping, and out-group-stereotyping. Looked at differently, men showed significantly stronger out-group-stereotyping than women, and women showed significantly stronger self-stereotyping than men. Women also showed marginally stronger in-group-stereotyping than men. The stronger self-stereotyping among women was mediated by greater female in-group identification.
TL;DR: The authors found that more religious people report greater self-other overlap with God than non-believers, using the Inclusion of Other in Self (IOS) scale, a dynamic version of the IOS, and an adjective checklist that was used to compute the percentage of traits shared between self and God.
Abstract: Three studies, using two community samples (ns = 39 and 78) and a university student sample of Christian believers in God (n = 76), found that more religious people report greater self–other overlap with God. Three measures of self–God overlap were used: the Inclusion of Other in Self (IOS) scale, a dynamic version of the IOS, and an adjective checklist that was used to compute the percentage of traits that were shared between self and God. Study 1 compared evangelicals and atheists; Studies 2 and 3 demonstrated that two components of religiosity, religious conservatism and awareness of God, independently predicted self–God overlap among Christian believers. The findings suggest that believers' relationships with God parallel other close relationships with human others.
TL;DR: This article found that participants were more pleased by learning that someone was caught for an immoral action when this person had criticized others for a similar action earlier, and that participants' schadenfreude was more intense when the immoral action matched precisely what the person had been criticizing others for doing earlier.
Abstract: Two studies examined whether and why seeing people suffer because of their hypocrisy can produce schadenfreude. Study 1 provided an initial demonstration of the phenomenon by showing that participants were indeed more pleased by learning that someone was caught for an immoral action when this person had criticized others for a similar action earlier. Study 2 showed that participants' schadenfreude was more intense when the immoral action matched precisely what the person had been criticizing others for doing earlier. Perceptions of hypocrisy consistently mediated the pattern of findings across the two studies. Perceptions of the deservingness of the misfortune and disgust over the hypocritical behavior also appeared to play mediational roles in explaining schadenfreude, though less consistently than perceptions of hypocrisy.
TL;DR: This article examined relations among African American mothers' (N = 392) stereotypes about gender differences in mathematics, science, and reading performance, parents' attributions about their children's academic successes and failures, and their seventh and eighth grade childrens academic self-views (domain-specific ability attributions and self-concept).
Abstract: We examined relations among African American mothers' (N = 392) stereotypes about gender differences in mathematics, science, and reading performance, parents' attributions about their children's academic successes and failures, and their seventh and eighth grade children's academic self-views (domain-specific ability attributions and self-concept). Parents' stereotypes about gender differences in abilities were related to their ability attributions for their children's successes and failures within academic domains. Mothers' attributions, in turn, were related to children's attributions, particularly among girls. Mothers' attributions of their children's successes to domain-specific ability were related to the self-concepts of daughters, and failure attributions were related to domain-specific self-concepts of sons. The influences of parents' beliefs on young adolescents' identity beliefs are discussed.
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of rejection on daily health and well-being as well as the moderating role of self-esteem were investigated using a diary for two weeks, reporting on rejection, mental wellbeing/resources, risky health behaviors, and health-related outcomes.
Abstract: A daily diary methodology was used to investigate the effects of rejection on daily health and well-being as well as the moderating role of self-esteem. Participants completed an online diary for two weeks, reporting on rejection, mental well-being/resources, risky health behaviors, and health-related outcomes. Overall, daily rejection was associated with decreases in mental well-being/resources but not with health behaviors or health-related outcomes. Additionally, self-esteem played an important moderating role. On high rejection days low self-esteem individuals were more likely to engage in risky health behaviors, and on the day following a high rejection day they reported decrements in health and well-being. Discussion centers on possible self-regulatory explanations for these findings and implications for the health of individuals with low self-esteem.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors measured awareness of ideal standards for beauty via two approaches: self-reported awareness and visual attention orienting to ideal standards, and covertly measured participants' eye movements to peers' purported ideal standards.
Abstract: Does awareness of female body ideals affect women's global self-esteem? We measured awareness of ideal standards for beauty via two approaches. As one approach, participants (55 undergraduate women) self-reported their general propensity to be aware of society's thin ideal standard. As a second approach, we measured visual attention orienting to ideal standards; we covertly measured participants' eye movements to peers' purported ideal standards. Self-reported awareness predicted lower baseline self-esteem; this relationship was mediated by internalization of the thin ideal. Awareness as assessed through attention orienting to peers' ideal standards predicted decreases in global self-esteem, above the effects of self-reported awareness, internalization, and actual measures of physical fitness. Implications for awareness of ideal standards and the media's portrayal of the thin ideal are discussed.
TL;DR: Self-concept clarity was the sole predictor of (a reduction in) perceived exposure to stigmatization, possibly by shielding individuals against the deleterious effects of past discrimination and marginalization.
Abstract: Exposure to stigmatization is a serious complication of mental illness in general, and of schizophrenia in particular. Adopting an action-theory approach, according to which individuals shape their own social environment (Shahar, 2006), we examined the role of four self-concept aspects in patients’ perception of exposure to stigmatization: self-esteem level and stability, perception of the self as ill, and self-concept clarity. Out-patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorder (N = 89) were assessed twice, separated by a six-week interval, as to their symptoms, the above self-concept aspects, and stigmatization. Self-concept clarity was the sole predictor of (a reduction in) perceived exposure to stigmatization, possibly by shielding individuals against the deleterious effects of past discrimination and marginalization.
TL;DR: The authors found that tomboyism was associated with more male-typical play preferences, examined the developmental course of tomboyness, and how girls describe this identity, and discussed the implications for theories of gender development.
Abstract: Although many girls may call themselves tomboys, little is known about the consequences of these self-perceptions. Seventy-six 5- to 13-year-old girls were interviewed and asked to identify their tomboy status (35 traditional girls, 20 tomboys, and 21 “in-betweens”). Tomboyism was associated with potentially negative gender identification (i.e., feeling less like a typical girl and less content with their gender), but more egalitarian perceptions of others (i.e., lower intergroup biases and greater acceptance of others’ gender-norm transgressions). To further develop the foundational tomboy literature, we first established that tomboyism was associated with more male-typical play preferences, examined the developmental course of tomboyism, and how girls describe this identity. Implications for theories of gender development are discussed.
TL;DR: Findings suggest that women's impaired math performance is often due to the threat of confirming a negative stereotype as being true of the self, particularly among women in math settings.
Abstract: Stereotype threat can vary in source, with targets being threatened at the individual and/or group level. This study specifically examined the role of self-reputational threat in women's underperformance in mathematics. A pilot study showed that women report concerns about experiencing self-reputational threat that are distinct from group threat in the domain of mathematics. In the main study, we manipulated whether performance was linked to the self by asking both men and women to complete a math test using either their real name or a fictitious name. Women who used a fictitious name, and thus had their self unlinked from the math test, showed significantly higher math performance and reported less self-threat and distraction, relative to those who used their real names. Men were unaffected by the manipulation. These findings suggest that women's impaired math performance is often due to the threat of confirming a negative stereotype as being true of the self. The implications for understanding the diffe...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors tested the hypothesis that increased dysphoric mood and rejection in the working self-concept would emerge among individuals with pre-existing symptoms of depression based on implicit activation (vs. not) of a mental representation of a loved-but-rejecting family member (rather than a disliked or rejecting one) and found that dysphoric individuals may be especially vulnerable emotionally to expected encounters with new people who resemble loved family members by whom they have felt rejected.
Abstract: This research tested the hypothesis that increased dysphoric mood and rejection in the working self-concept would emerge among individuals with pre-existing symptoms of depression—based on implicit activation (vs. not) of a mental representation of a loved-but-rejecting family member (rather than a disliked/rejecting one). Dysphoric college students randomly assigned to anticipate an interaction with a new person resembling a loved significant other showed increases in depressed mood and offered freely listed self-descriptions that were more characterized (according to judges) by a sense of “rejection” (relative to a control condition). No such effects occurred among non-dysphoric individuals. Dysphoric individuals may be especially vulnerable emotionally to expected encounters with new people who resemble loved family members by whom they have felt rejected.
TL;DR: This paper found that participants in the empathic perspective-taking condition responded faster for communal traits and judged more communal traits as self-descriptive than those in the objective condition, and assessed the accessibility of the communal selfconcept by measuring response latencies.
Abstract: Previous research has suggested that communal self-descriptions might be less malleable than agentic ones. We propose that the communal self-concept is malleable as well, and that empathic perspective taking activates the communal self-concept. In two studies, participants watched a video and were either instructed to empathically take the perspective of the target person or to remain objective and detached. In Study 1, we used a repeated-measures design and found that participants’ communal self-descriptions changed after empathic perspective taking, but not in the objective condition. In Study 2, we assessed the accessibility of the communal self-concept by measuring response latencies. Participants in the empathic perspective-taking condition responded faster for communal traits and judged more communal traits as self-descriptive than participants in the objective condition.
TL;DR: The Perceived Change in Relationships Scale as discussed by the authors was designed to measure the extent to which individuals report changing to be like their romantic partners and report that their romantic partner change to be more like them.
Abstract: In romantic relationships, individuals take attributes of their romantic partner into their own self-concept, thus becoming increasingly similar to their partner. The current research tested the possibility that some individuals may take on the characteristics of their romantic partner to a greater extent. The Perceived Change in Relationships Scale was designed to measure the extent to which individuals report changing to be like their romantic partners and report that their romantic partners change to be more like them. We investigated the properties of this scale across two studies. The first study explored the factor structure of the scale. The second study demonstrated that generally perceiving greater self-change in relationships predicted individuals actually altering their self-concepts in romantic contexts.