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Toward an integrated self: Age differences and the role of action orientation
Peter Gröpel, Julius Kuhl, and Miguel Kazén
University of Osnabrück, Germany
According to Personality Systems Interactions (PSI) Theory (Kuhl, 2001), good self-access is needed
when negative or contradictory experiences are to be integrated in the self. Action orientation is a
personality disposition based on the ability to regulate affective states under stress which seems to
facilitate the maintenance of self-access in stress situations. Therefore, action orientation can be
assumed to be an important ability needed for the development of an integrated self. In this study, we
investigate the role of action orientation in the integration process as well as age differences in the
level of integrated self. Analyzing the data of 14,254 persons between ages from 18 to 70 years, we
found a significant increase of integration level with increasing age. Similarly, action orientation
increased with age too. As expected, action orientation predicted the level of integration. Moreover,
action orientation mediated the relationship between age and integration level. The findings underline
the importance of action orientation by developing an integrated self in the life span.
Theorists of the self-concept distinguish between the contents and the structure of the self-concept. The contents of
the self-concept refer to one’s self-beliefs and self-evaluation (“Who am I”, “How do I feel about myself?”), whereas
the structure of the self-concept refers to how the contents of the self-concept are organized (Campbell, Assanand, & Di
Paula, 2003). In theories of the self, there are generally two different views on the structure of the self-concept: the self
is viewed either as a unitary construct, or as a multifaceted construct composed of various aspects, roles, perspectives,
or “selves” (Campbell et al, 2003; Rafaeli-Mor & Steinberg, 2002). The research of the self-concept has been directed
at both views of the self. For example, Donahue et al.’s research on self-concept fragmentation1 (Donahue, Robins,
Roberts, & John, 1993), Campbell et al.’s research on self-concept clarity (Campbell, Trapnell, Heine, Katz, Lavallee,
& Lehman, 1996), or Higgins’s (1987) research on self-discrepancies have investigated self-concept unity in relation to
outcome variables such as psychological adjustment and well-being. On the other hand, Linville’s (1987) construct of
self-complexity, or Showers’s (1992) measure of self-concept compartmentalization have been viewed as measures of
self-concept pluralism. In this study, we view the self as a unitary construct and investigate the level of integrated self.
In the psychological literature, there is no clear definition of integration. Integration often means something like
editing and organizing of individual experiences in a hierarchical manner, and the overcoming of contradictory
experiences toward a continuos and coherent sense of self. According to Pollock, Broadbent, Clarke, and Ryle (2001),
“an integrated personality demonstrates behavioral consistency, inner experience with a sense of continuity over time,
self-description and conceptions of significant others which are complex and multifaceted, showing and understanding
of positive and negative qualities of oneself and other people” (p.63). In contrast, fragmented persons (fragmentation =
antipode to integration or the lack of an integrated self) are characterized as ones with “role diffusion, where an
individual is an interpersonal chameleon, with no inner core of identity, fitfully reacting in all ways to all people”
(Block, 1961, p.392). If the individual’s experiences of him/herself are severely fragmented, behavior and affect are
inconsistent and shifts occur between disparate and contrasting self states (Pollock et al., 2001).
As Rogers (1959) argues, individuals with a coherent and integrated self are generally better in psychological
adjustment. Donahue et al.’s (1993) found persons higher in fragmentation to be more depressive, anxious and neurotic,
and to score less on self-esteem. Moreover, fragmentation is thought to play a role in several forms of psychopathology
(e.g., borderline personality disorder, Pollock et al., 2001; Wildgoose, Clarke, and Waller, 2001; depression, Gara et al.,
1993; schizophrenia, Gara, Rosenberg, & Mueller, 1989). Wildgoose et al. (2001) consider personality fragmentation –
an unstable and discontinuous sense of self – as being a core component of the borderline personality disorder. Pollock
et al. (2001) found significantly higher level of fragmentation in patients with borderline personality disorder compared
to patients with dissociative identity disorder or a non-clinical group. In their research, high levels of fragmentation
were positively related to different aspects of dissociation and mood variability. Development of an integrated self is
therefore thought to be needed for psychological adjustment, well-being and mental health. However, how do
individuals develop the integrated self? Or, on the other hand, what is the origin of fragmentation? As Donahue et al.
(1993) describe, the origin of fragmentation may lie in conflicted or disrupted relationships within the family and with
significant others. In particular, children and adolescents who experience continual conflicts and distress within the
family system may fail to integrate their various experiences into a coherent self. Kuhl (2001) similarly assumes that
stress and negative events are possible antecedents of fragmentation. Anyhow, the question of how can stress impact the
development of an integrated self will be discussed next.
Kuhl’s (2001) Personality Systems Interaction (PSI) Theory focuses on functional relationships among affective and
cognitive macrosystems (i.e., the dynamic processes that underlie human mental functioning). The cognitive
macrosystems are: intention memory (IM) – the memory for explicit intentions supported by sequential-analytical
operations and prefrontal left-hemispherical processing, extension memory (EM) – an extended semantic network
operating according to connectionist principles and supported by intuitive-holistic processes of prefrontal cortex of the
right hemisphere, intuitive behavior control (IBC) – a system that provides routines for performing an intended action,
and object recognition (OR) – a system specialized on discrepancy-sensitive recognition of "objects." The theory holds
Conference proceedings of the Third International SELF Research Conference “Self-concept, Motivation and Identity: Where to from Here?“,
Berlin, Germany (July, 2004); SELF Research Centre, Sydney, Australia.
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that the effectiveness of integration is influenced by the relative activation of each macrosystem and by the access to
extension memory (which includes the self). Extension memory is thought to be most important for integration of
experiences within the self because of its extended networks of remote semantic associations such as meaningful
experiences, options of action, personal values, implicit motives, and many other aspects of the self2. New experiences,
positive or negative, have to be “compared” with own needs, values, earlier experiences and information, edited,
overlapped with earlier experiences and so integrated into the self. Access to EM, here called “self-access”, is therefore
needed for the integration process. How do stress situations impair the integration process? PSI theory holds that the
cognitive macrosystems are modulated by affect. Positive affect facilitates the enactment of intentions (IBC) whereas
the inhibition of positive affect facilitates the maintenance of intentions in intention memory (IM) and inhibits their
enactment. Vice versa, activation of intention memory (e.g., facing difficulties, frustration) reduces positive affect.
Negative affect, on the other hand, reduces activation of extension memory (including self), inhibits the contact to the
self, and activates the discrepancy-sensitive object recognition (OR). Vice versa, activation of extension memory and
the self reduces negative affect. As noted in the stress literature, stress situations are proposed to have an impact on
affective balance. Stressful live events increase negative affect and/or reduce positive affect (Kuhl, 2001), and are
proposed to be potential triggers of emotional problems and chronic affective states (Scully, Tosi, & Banning, 2000).
However, as noted above, the effectiveness of integration is influenced by the relative activation of each system
(affective balance) and by access to the self. Inhibition of positive affect and increase of negative affect impair this
affective balance and block or inhibit the contact to extension memory and the self. Therefore, if these states become
chronic, the development of an integrated self can be impaired.
However, life-stress events are expected to impair the integration process only when a person is not able to cope with
these events. For example, Antonovsky’s (1987) research on sense of coherence showed that there are people who were
able to develop a coherent and integrated self and to maintain good mental health under chronic stress situations (e.g.,
holocaust). Similarly, action orientation (Kuhl, 1994) has been found to maintain mental health under stress (Baumann,
Kaschel, & Kuhl, 2003). Moreover, action orientation seems to be an important variable needed for the integration
process because of its affect-regulative role. It is defined as a general ability to self-regulate affective states under stress
and differenced into two forms (Kuhl, 1994): decision-related action orientation (AOD) – the ability to self-generate
positive affect in the face of difficulties and problems, and failure-related action orientation (AOF) – the ability to
reduce negative affect after negative events and failures. In contrast, the inability to self-generate positive affect under
stress has been named as decision-related state orientation (SOD) whereas the inability to volitionally control negative
affect has been called as failure-related state orientation (SOF).
Why should action orientation be important for developing an integrated self? As noted above, affective balance and
access to the self is needed for the integration process. However, stress situations impair the affective balance and
inhibit self-access. Action orientation was found to reduce negative affect in stress situations (Baumann et al., 2003)
and to mediate the negative influence of frustration of social needs (achievement, affiliation, and power) on life
adjustment (Kuhl & Kazén, 2003). Moreover, action-oriented persons have been found to decrease negative affect and
increase inhibited positive affect intuitively under stress (Koole & Jostmann, 2002). Further, action orientation
predicted or moderated relations to variables proposed to be related to fragmentation, such as well-being (Baumann et
al., 2003; Brunstein, 2001; Gröpel & Baumann, 2004; Kanfer, Dugdale, & McDonald, 1994), psychological adjustment
(Walschburger, 1994), symptoms formation (Baumann et al., 2003; Keller, Straub, & Wolfersdorf, 1994), or
psychopathology (Hartung & Schulte, 1994; Hautzinger, 1994; Kammer, 1994; Kuhl & Helle, 1986) Therefore, we
expect action orientation to predict the level of the integrated self (hypothesis 1).
Another issue we want to investigate in this study is the development of affect-regulation competencies (action
orientation) and the integrated self across the life span. In collaboration with the Institute of Motivation and Personality
Development (IMPART GmbH) and the FOCUS Magazin Verlag GmbH involving an internet-based study we
collected data of 14,254 persons between the ages from 18 to 70 years. This large sample of participants allowed for
cross-sectional testing of age differences.
According to Lawton (2001), affect regulation seems to be an ability that might change with age, as a result of
learning and practice. Indeed, some research has demonstrated that affect regulation becomes stronger with age (Gross,
Carstensen, Pasupathi, Tsai, Skorpen, & Hsu, 1997; Lawton, Kleban, Rajagopal, & Dean, 1992). Development of affect
regulation during the life span might influence the level of self-integration. As we know, integration depends basically
on new experiences. If there were no new experiences, there would be nothing that could be integrated into the self. It
seems to be plausible to expect that the level of the integrated self might increase with the amount of new experiences
during the life span. However, as we argue above, new experiences can be integrated only when the affective states
associated with these experiences are regulated toward the affective balance. Affect regulation have been found to
become stronger with age. Therefore, we can assume that the level of the integrated self becomes higher because of the
increase (development) of affect-regulation competencies over the life course. This logic leads to our second
hypothesis: Action orientation will play a mediator role between age and the level of integrated self.
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Method
Participants
In collaboration with the IMPART GmbH and the FOCUS Magazin Verlag GmbH we collected the data of 14,254
persons (5140 women and 9114 men) via internet (see Procedure below). Their age ranged from 18 to 70 years
(M=35.3, SD=10.4).
Measures
All participants filled out the short form of Volitional Components Inventory (VCI; Kuhl & Fuhrmann, 1998) that
includes various scales on self- and affect-regulation competencies, and other scales regarding the “outcomes” such as
“conformity” or “fragmentation.” In this study, we analyzed only the scales relevant to our research questions.
Integration: The level of integrated self was assessed with the Fragmentation Scale, a self-reported scale adopted
from VCI (Kuhl & Fuhrmann, 1998). As noted before, fragmentation is though to be an antipode to integration
(Donahue et al., 1993; Rafaeli-Mor & Steinberg, 2002). The items on this scale are: “My behavior often appears
contradictory, because of opposed sides of myself”, and “I have many different sides of myself”. Participants responded
to the items using a 4-point Likert-type scale from completely disagree (1) to completely agree (4). As assessed by
coefficient alpha, the reliability of this scale was α=.87.
Action orientation: Action orientation was assessed with two scales adopted form VCI (Kuhl & Fuhrmann, 1998) –
the Decision Related Action Orientation Scale (AOD-Scale) and the Action Orientation after Failure Scale (AOF-
Scale). Example items on the AOD-Scale are: “If something must be done I begin doing it without hesitating”, and “I
often feel lacking in enthusiasm” (reverse scored). Example items on the AOF-Scale are: “After a failure I find myself
thinking for a long time about how it could have happened” (reverse scored), and “If something bad happens it takes a
long time before I am able to concentrate on something else” (reverse scored). Participants responded to the items using
a 4-point Likert-type scale from completely disagree (1) to completely agree (4). In the present study, AOD and AOF
scales had internal consistencies of α=.77 and α=.86, respectively.
Procedure
Data were collected in may 2002 as part of a “self-knowledge” study related to self-regulatory competencies, which
was initiated by FOCUS Magazine in cooperation with IMPART GmbH. Each participant logged into the web-page of
FOCUS Magazine on a voluntary basis, filled out the VCI questionnaire (answering time was of about 30 min), and
received in return for his/her participation feedback consisting of a word file including a 10-page summary plus the
standardized personality profile (T-scores) of his/her results in a pictorial form within 2-3 days. Data from all
participants were provided via IMPART GmbH to us for analysis in an anonymous form.
Results
Participants were arranged in six different age groups. For each group, we computed means and standard deviations
of predictor and dependent variables (see Table 1). Figure 1 shows the differences between these groups more clearly.
As can be seen there, both forms of action orientation increased with age whereas fragmentation decreased with age.
Using the analysis of variance (ANOVA), we found most differences to be highly significant (p < .001)3. Moreover,
there was a significant quadratic term of fragmentation curve (p < .01), and a significant cubic term of AOD and AOF
curves (p < .001 and p = .05, respectively). The findings support the Gross et al.’s (1997) and Lawton et al.’s (1992)
findings that affect regulation become stronger with age.
Comparing male and female participants, we found men to score higher on the AOF scale as women (M = 11.86, SD
= 2.85 vs. M = 10.99, SD = 2.88, p < .001). The difference of gender on the AOD scale was not significant. Vice versa,
women scored higher on the fragmentation scale as men (M = 4.14, SD = 1.87 vs. M = 3.88, SD = 1.78, p < .001).
However, the pattern of the curves remained the same and the effects (correlation, regression ...) similar.
A hierarchical regression analysis was conducted on fragmentation (as an index of poor self-integration) as criterion
with AOD entered as block one. Similarly, a hierarchical regression analysis was conducted on fragmentation with
AOF. Predictor and criterion variables were standardized before analysis. Both forms of action orientation showed a
negative relationship to fragmentation. The direct effect of AOD was significant,
β
= -.44, t(1,14252) = -58.88, p <
.001. Similarly, the direct effect of AOF was also significant,
β
= -.44, t(1,14252) = -58.69, p < .001. This finding
provided support for the first hypothesis: Action orientation predicted the level of self- integration.
To test the second hypothesis, we conducted a series of path analyses to establish mediation (following the
procedure recommended by Baron & Kenny, 1986). The direct effect of age on fragmentation should be mediated by
action orientation. First, a hierarchical regression analysis was conducted on action orientation with age entered in block
one. Second, a hierarchical regression analysis was conducted on fragmentation with age. Finally, age and both forms of
action orientation were entered into the equation simultaneously (controlling for the main effect of age). The relevant
relationships are displayed in Figure 2. The direct relationship between age and fragmentation was significant,
β
= -.15,
t(1,14252) = -18.35, p < .001. Similarly, age was predictive of both decision-related and failure-related action
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orientation,
β
= .18, t(1,14252) = -21.62, p < .001, and
β
= .10, t(1,14252) = 12.28, p < .001, respectively. Finally, when
age and action orientation were simultaneously regressed on fragmentation, action orientation had a significant effect (
β
= -.29, t(2,14250) = -34.59, p < .001 for AOD, and
β
= -.30, t(2,14250)= -35.97, p < .001 for AOF), and the effect of
age became smaller,
β
= -.07, t(1,14250) = -9,70, p <.001. According to the Sobel test for mediation (Sobel, 1982; see
Baron & Kenny, 1986), this mediation effect was significant, Z = -18.33, p < .001 for AOD, and Z = -11.61, p < .001
for AOF. The findings supported the hypothesized mediation role of action orientation in the relationship between age
and fragmentation, or, reverse scored, between age and the level of integrated self.
Discussion
In the present research we have examined the role of action orientation by developing the integrated self as well as
age differences in the level of integrated self and action orientation. We had two purposes. The first was to test the
predictive role of action orientation in the development of the integrated self. As noted in the methodological section of
the present article, the level of integrated self was measured as reversed score of fragmentation. Fragmentation reflects a
lack of psychological integration stemming from unresolved intrapsychic conflicts; an integrated self, as an antipode to
fragmentation, is considered central to mental health (Donahue et al., 1993). Our findings support the hypothesized
relationship between action orientation and fragmentation. Both forms of action orientation – AOD (action-orientation
after decision) and AOF (action orientation after failure) – were negatively related to fragmentation. Thus, facing
negative or hindering life events, the ability to regulate affective states under stress seems to be needed for the
integration of those experiences into the self. As Kuhl (2001) argues, lowering negative affect (AOF) and activating
positive affect (AOD) facilitate contact to extension memory and to the self. This access to the self is necessary for
effective dealing with intrapsychic conflicts and contradictions as well as for integration of these experiences into the
self. Our findings support this idea. Besides, the findings provide a possible link for testing a mediation role of
integration level. In past research, action orientation was found to correlate positively with mental health (Baumann et
al., 2003). As we found here, action orientation predicts the level of integrated self. Further, integration is thought to be
relevant for mental health (Donahue et al., 1993; Pollock et al., 2001; Rafaeli-Mor & Steinberg, 2002; Wildgoose et al.,
2001). Thus, we can assume the level of integrated self to mediate the relationship between action orientation and
mental health. Future research could test this hypothesis.
The second and more complex aim of this research was to examine age differences by the level of integration and
action orientation, and to explain the role of action orientation on the relationship between age and integration. As
showed in Figure 1, both forms of action orientation increase with age. Gross et al.’s (1997) and Lawton et al.’s (1992)
found similarly that affect regulation becomes stronger with age. However, the correlations are not high (.18 for AOD,
.10 for AOF). This could be explained by the assumption that not age itself, but some other factors depending on age
are important for the development of affect regulation. As a possible factors of this development can be suggested
learning, practice, selective reinforcement, personal preference exercised over a lifetime (Lawton, 2001), and
interactions and relationships with others including maturing of personal relationships (Diamond & Aspinwall, 2003;
Kuhl, 2001). The latter factor (interactions and relationships with others) seems to be very important from a view of the
development of fragmentation. As noted by Donahue et al. (1993), the origin of fragmentation may lie in conflicted or
disrupted relationships within the family and with significant others. This means, disrupted relationships can negatively
impact affect-regulation skills and long-term impair the development of integrated self. In contrast, good and congruent
relationships may facilitate the development of affect-regulation abilities and of the integrated self. The quality of
personal relationships is therefore an important variable that should be controlled in future research concerning action
orientation and fragmentation.
Further, we found a decrease of fragmentation level with age (see Figure 1). This means, the level of integrated self
increased across the life span. This finding is near to the Erikson’s (1950) description of life cycle development who
viewed integrity as a final stage of human life. Similarly, Sheldon and Kasser (2001) found older people to be higher on
personality integration. Testing a mediation hypothesis, we could support the assumption that action orientation plays a
partial mediation role between age and the level of integrated self. The integration level increased with age because of
increase of action orientation. However, although the direct effect of age on fragmentation in the mediation analysis
became smaller, it was still significant. This means, the action orientation is not the single mediator. For example,
Carstensen, Pasupathi, Mayr, and Nesselroade (2000) found older individuals to have greater capacity for complex
emotional experiences that combine positive and negative feelings. Labouvie-Vief (1996) argued that this is attributable
to the development of integrated self over the life course. Capacity for emotional experiences as well as amount of
previous experiences could be assumed as additional important mediators.
There are some built-in limitations in our work that should be eliminated in future research. First, our findings do
not allow for exact hypothesis testing of the development of action orientation and the integrated self, because we used
a cross-sectional testing of age differences. A longitudinal design should be used to allow for investigation of the
development. Second, despite of the large number of participants, all participants were recruited per internet. It is
possible that these persons (especially the older persons) do not represent the norm in the population. Although for
many people the internet becomes a part of everyday life, there are still a large number of persons (especially old
persons) who do not work with computer and internet. Finally, we only used self-report measures in the present
research. Although the self-report scales are often used for testing action orientation (see e.g. Kuhl & Beckmann, 1994)
or integration level (see e.g. Campbell et al. 1996; Pollock et al., 2001), there are other (implicit) methods that permit
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more objective testing. For example, self-concept differentiation measure (Donahue et al., 1993) or Linville’s overlap
component of self-complexity (Rafaeli-Mor & Steinberg, 2002) could be used for assessing integration level. For action
orientation, Koole and Jostmann’s (2002) using the Face Discrimination Task based on Öhman et al. (2001) found this
method to be a possible objective measure of action orientation. In addition to self-report instruments, future research
should make use of objective methods in the research design.
To conclude, we found action orientation to be an important predictor and mediator of the integrated self. The
findings are important not only from a theoretical point of view, but also from the perspective of practical application.
As supported by therapy research (de Jong-Meyer et al., 1999; Hartung & Schulte, 1994; Hautzinger, 1994), it is
possible to improve action orientation with some therapeutic or training methods. Combining such methods with the
Cognitive analytic therapy (Ryle, 1990) used by treatment of borderline personality disorder (Pollock et al., 2001;
Wildgoose et al., 2001), where personality fragmentation is though to be a core component of this disorder, could
therefore improve the therapy process of this disorder. Based on our findings, we can generally assume that supporting
the development of action orientation in the psychological process (psychologist-client relationship) could lead to an
increase of self-integration and to psychological adjustment as well as to the maintenance of mental health of the client.
We invite researchers and psychotherapists to explore these practical implications.
About the Authors
Peter Gröpel is a PhD student at the Graduate School “Integrative Competencies and Well-Being”, University of
Osnabrück, Germany and at the Department of Psychology, University of Trnava, Slovakia. He is interested in
motivational psychology, self-regulation theories and personal development. Previous research includes investigating
the time-management skills, the motive incongruence, and the affect regulation.
Professor Julius Kuhl is the head of the Personality Research group at the University of Osnabrück, Germany. On the
basis of his previous research activities (University of Michigan, Max-Planck Institute in Munich, University of
Stanford), he developed Personality Systems Interaction Theory (PSI), an integrative theory of personality functions,
and a new diagnostic method used for the assessment of personality-related competencies. Numerous scientific
publications include topics related to human motivation, self and affect regulation, personality styles, and
neurobiological correlates of higher-order personality processes.
Miguel Kazén, PhD, is a researcher and lecturer at the University of Osnabrück, Germany. Previous publications
include research on imagery, hypermnesia, the Stroop effect and volitional facilitation, and individual differences in
self-access and self-inflitration. His current research interests involve the influence of motivation and affect on
executive processes, anticipatory coping, hemispheric differences related to personality competencies and self-access,
and prospective memory.
Authors’ Contact Details
Peter Gröpel
PhD Student
Graduate School “Integrative Competencies and Well-Being”
University of Osnabrück
Fachbereich Humanwissenschaften
Postfach
D-49069 Osnabrück, Germany
Email: pgroepel@uni-osnabrueck.de
Phone: +49 541 969 6028
Fax: +49 541 969 4788
Professor Julius Kuhl
Department of Differential Psychology and Personality Research
University of Osnabrück
Fachbereich Humanwissenschaften
Seminarstr. 20
D-49069 Osnabrück, Germany
Email: jkuhl@uni-osnabrueck.de
Phone: +49 541 969 4400
Fax: +49 541 969 4788
Miguel Kazén, PhD
Department of Differential Psychology and Personality Research
University of Osnabrück
Fachbereich Humanwissenschaften
6
Seminarstr. 20
D-49069 Osnabrück, Germany
Email: kazen@luce.psycho.uni-osnabrueck.de
Phone: +49 541 969 4430
Fax: +49 541 969 4788
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Footnotes
1Donahue et al. (1993) investigate self-concept differentiation as an inverse measure of self-concept unity. However, as
Campbell et al. (2003) write, “The term “self-concept differentiation” is misleading because the term “differentiation” is
often used as a synonym for pluralism. We will call this inverse measure of unity “self-concept fragmentation” to avoid
confusion” (p. 122). According to the Donahue et al.’s findings and the Campbell et al.’s advice, we also call this
measure “self-concept fragmentation”.
2The integrative functions of the right hemisphere have been supported by neurological research. It is beyond the scope
of this article to repeat the experimental and neurological findings (see e.g. Kuhl, 2001, Chapter 13; Rotenberg &
Weinberg, 1999, for more details).
3On fragmentation, all but two differences (between groups 3 and 4; and between groups 5 and 6) were significant.
Similarly, all but two differences (between groups 3 and 4; and between groups 4 and 5) were significant on AOF and
AOD.
8
Figure 1 Differences in fragmentation (notice that low fragmentation = high self-integration), AOD and AOF between
the age groups.
age groups
51-7041-5036-4031-3526-3018-25
Mean (z-transformed)
,3
,2
,1
0,0
-,1
-,2
-,3
-,4
Fragmentaion
AOD
AOF
9
Figure 2 Path analyses testing the mediation role of action orientation between age and fragmentation
AGE Fragmentation
AGE Fragmentation
AOD
AOF
-.15***
-.07***
-.29***
-.30***
.18***
.10***
10
Table 1 Means and standard deviation of variables for each of the six age groups.
Fragmentation AOD AOF
Groups Age N Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD
1. 18-25 3157 4,42 1,94 10,64 2,87 11,13 2,95
2. 26-30 2020 4,13 1,90 11,36 2,69 11,27 2,99
3. 31-35 2377 3,91 1,79 11,65 2,68 11,60 2,90
4. 36-40 2247 3,91 1,79 11,81 2,56 11,70 2,77
5. 41-50 3253 3,67 1,66 11,94 2,58 11,75 2,86
6. 51-70 1200 3,59 1,62 12,18 2,45 12,19 2,63
Note. Variables were scored as follows: Fragmentation – higher number indicates higher level of fragmentation (range =
2 – 8); Action orientation - higher number indicates higher level of AOD (action-orientation after decision) or AOF
(action-orientation after failure; range = 4 – 16). (Notice that low fragmentation = high self-integration).
The paper published electronically (in: Conference Proceedings “Self-Concept, Motivation and Identity”) by the SELF
Research Centre, University of Western Sydney, Australia.
ISBN 1 74108 073 8
Reference:
Gröpel, P., Kuhl, J., & Kazén, M. (2004). Toward an integrated self: Age differences and the role of action orientation.
Conference proceedings (CD-Rom) of the Third International SELF Research Conference “Self-Concept, Motivation
and Identity”. SELF Research Centre, Sydney, Australia.
