Possible selves as roadmaps

Pg 131 – “Goals, strivings, and possible selves may serve functions other than self-regulation. They can facilitate optimism and belief that change is possible because they provide the sense that the current self is mutable (Markus & Nurius, 1986). Thus goals or possible selves may simply make us feel good about ourselves, particularly if the goal or future self is vague and carries no specified action plan (Gonzales, Burgess, & Mobilio, 2001).”

~ So possible selves might help cultures with negative stigmas reach more positive stigmas, so it might explain why a culture with extremely negative stigmas continues to have members with developed identities, because of possible selves.

Pg 131 – “By allowing one to feel good about the self and providing hope for a better future, personal strivings, possible selves, and other future oriented aspects of self-concept may fulfill self-enhancement goals.”

~ Why you should think on the bright side.

Pg 132 – “In this sense, possible selves and other self-directed goals can serve to guide and regulate behavior, providing a roadmap connecting the present to the future. The more plans connect self-directed goals to specific strategies; the more likely they are to be carried out (Gollwitzer, 1996).”

~ Possible selves also direct actions. So not only concrete identities are important, but also possible identities, because they also set guidelines and constraints for actions.

Pg 132-3 – “Indeed, some possible selves are quite malleable, shifting in response to feedback either about one s own likely success in attaining the possible self (Kerpelman &Pittman, 2001) or similar others successes and failures in attaining the possible self (Kemmelmeier & Oyserman, 2001).”

~ Possible selves are moldable, like identities.

Pg 144 – “Indeed, in our sample of primarily minority youths from high poverty schools and neighborhoods, those with plausibly self-regulating academic possible selves did have significantly greater chances of academic success. Plausibility of self-regulation was a significant predictor, even after previous academic attainment (in the form of first quarter GPA) and previous level of the specific dependent variable were controlled.”

~ Self-regulation the key to positive improvement, or really any change.

Pg 144 – “Significant improvement occurred only for youths with plausibly self-regulatory academic possible selves.”

~ So possible selves do not matter as much as self-regulatory possible selves. This is a limitation.

Pg 145 – “Our results point to the importance of considering not only the extent to which youths have academic possible selves or whether these possible selves balance positive expectations with concerns but also whether these possible selves are likely to promote self-regulation as opposed to self-enhancement goals.”

~ Self-regulation the key to positive improvement, or really any change.

Oyserman, D., Bybee, D. Terry, K., Hart-Johnson, T. (2004). Possible selves as roadmaps. Journal of Research in Personality, 38. Retrieved on October 17, 2008 from http://sitemaker.umich.edu/culture.self/self-concept_and_possible_selves_publications.