Why is support for Jamesian actual-ideal discrepancy model so elusive? A latent-variable approach
Scalas, L. Francesca Marsh, Herbert W. Morin, Alexandre J. S. Nagengast, Benjamin
Scalas, L. Francesca
Marsh, Herbert W.
Morin, Alexandre J. S.
Nagengast, Benjamin
Abstract
We investigate the Actual–Ideal Discrepancy (AID) model of self-esteem determination dating back to James (1890/1963). Although intuitively appealing, this model received weak support from rigorous empirical research. We propose a multiple-item latent difference approach to AID as applied to a range of self-concept domains and sub-domains in young adolescents from two different countries (UK: N = 402; Italy: N = 250). The effects of the AID remained elusive for most domains and sub-domains; indeed, the effects of the specific AIDs were generally trivial and only appearance-AID became significant in the combined sample. Also AIDs did not substantially explain the more general self-concepts beyond what was explained by the actual domains. Even if they had been significant, AID effects would have been, at best, trivially small and detectable only using appropriate latent-variable methodologies coupled with large sample sizes; thus undermining the psychological meaning of the AID model.
Keywords
actual–ideal discrepancy, self-esteem, latent difference, multiple-item latent approach, adolescence
Date
2014
Type
Journal article
Journal
Personality and Individual Differences
Book
Volume
69
Issue
Page Range
62-68
Article Number
ACU Department
Institute for Positive Psychology and Education
Faculty of Education and Arts
Faculty of Education and Arts