Adolescent Self‐Consciousness: Longitudinal Age Changes and Gender Differences in Two Cohorts

Abstract

Adolescence is frequently described as a period of pervasive self‐consciousness, but an age‐related peak in adolescence is not consistently obtained, and higher self‐consciousness in girls is frequently obtained but not predicted by theoretical accounts. Two cohorts of adolescents ( N= 393), initially assessed at 13 and 15, completed public and private self‐consciousness measures 3 times in 4 years. They also reported social comparisons and social engagement. Public self‐consciousness decreased and private self‐consciousness increased in both cohorts, and girls scored higher on both measures, both in longitudinal and sibling replication samples ( n =188). Public self‐consciousness appears to be a normative response to adolescent social challenges, with girls' higher levels largely attributable to their closer social engagement. Private self‐consciousness emerges as an individual difference in adolescence but is more likely to be salient and predictive of social behavior in adulthood.