Representations of Self and Other: A Semantic Space Model

Abstract

This article describes a semantic space model of personality. According to the model, representations of facets of the self (e.g., actual self, ideal self) and of others are arrayed in a semantic space, with proximities among representations predicted to be associated with mood, self-evaluation, and broad personality dimensions. The relation of proximities among pairs of representations to personality and mood measures was found to be mediated by the spatial proximity of other representations, indicating that the representations constitute dynamic systems. Proximities among representations were shown to predict self-esteem and self-evaluative moods even after controlling for the contribution of the personality dimensions of Neuroticism, Extraversion, and Agreeableness. Generally, the semantic space model led to better predictions than did several related models concerning representations of self and other.