A Note on the Relationship of Internality-Externality, Self-Acceptance, and Self-Ideal Discrepancies

Summary

To correct deficiencies in an earlier study testing the hypotheses that externals, compared to internals, exhibit a larger self-ideal discrepancy, lower self-concept, and lower self-acceptance, 55 male and female art and theatre undergraduate majors were administered the Adult Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Scale and the Index of Adjustment and Value. Findings by analysis of variance indicated support for all hypotheses.

This study attempted to correct deficiencies of Lombardo et al.'s study (2) in testing the following hypotheses: compared to internals, externals exhibit (a) a larger self-ideal discrepancy; (b) a lower self-concept; and (c) a lower self-acceptance.

Lombardo et al. utilized Rotter's internal-external (I-E) scale in spite of the criticisms (4, 5) and a self-acceptance scale where no reliability or validity was reported. In addition, they had their groups respond to the Rotter I-E scale first, increasing the probability that social desirability could confound the responses on the self-acceptance scale. Also, since externals are more likely than internals to be concerned about what others think, they may feel more forced to change their responses under two sets of instructions, resulting in an artifact or discrepancy. Finally, there was the growing concern that psychology students may not reflect a sufficiently naive subject pool for I-E research.

The sample in the present study consisted of 32 male and female art undergraduate majors and 23 male and female theatre undergraduate majors (age range: 19–23 years) attending a large midwestern state university with a nearly open admissions policy. Measures consisted of the Adult Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Scale [ANS-IE (3)] in a modified Likert format and the Index of Adjustment and Value [IAV (1)]. These measures were chosen because of their adequate test-retest reliability and considerable evidence of convergent and construct validity. A randomized half of the subjects in each group of majors were administered the ANS-IE first and then the IAV, while the other half were tested in reverse order. A random session of the course was selected for the administration when 90% of the students were in attendance.

An analysis of variance indicated significant differences between the following measures (a) externality vs. self-ideal discrepancy (F # 1.59, df # 2/52, p < .05); (b) externality vs. real self (F # 7.23, df # 2/52, p < .01); (c) externality vs. self-acceptance (F # 5.13, df # 2/52, p < .01); and (d) externality vs. ideal self (F # 5.53, df # 2/52, p < .01). There was a significant interaction between sex and major (F # 6.59, df # 1/51, p < .05). Of the four groups, male art students were highest in externality (X # 84.06, N # 17), and male theatre students were lowest (X # 72.73, N # 11).

All hypotheses were supported, suggesting that if self-actualization is a desired goal, externals will not move in this direction without a strong demonstration of a sense of power.