Perceived Validity and Assessment of the Self: a Decade Later

Abstract

This investigation replicates one conducted a decade ago in which students compared four self-concept instruments according to the degree to which each permitted veridical self-description. An open response format was regarded as least accurate in 1965 and as most accurate in 1975. It is suggested that this and related findings have implications for the choice of instruments in self-concept research, and observed temporal changes can be attributed to modifications in the organization of the self-system.