The Effects of Self-Monitoring and Religious Self-Discrepancies on Negative Affect

According to Higgins\u27s (1987) self-discrepancy theory, an individual\u27s selfesteem is based upon fulfilling one\u27s self-expectations or the expectations of significant others (e.g., spouse or parent). Failure to live up to these expectations results in greater levels of depression, anxiety, and lower self-esteem. Previous research has also found that those low in Snyder and Gangestad\u27s (1986) self-monitoring construct are more influenced by their own expectations, while those high in self-monitoring are more influenced by others\u27 expectations. It was predicted that Christians who are low in self-monitoring will have greater levels of depression and anxiety and lower self-esteem if they fail to fulfill their own religious expectations, whereas Christians who are high in self-monitoring would have greater levels of depression and anxiety and lower self-esteem if they fail to meet the religious expectations of significant others. As predicted, for low self-monitors actuakideal religious self-discrepancies led to increased negative affect, but actuakother discrepancies did not. For high self-monitors, however, neither actuakideal nor actuakother self-discrepancies led to increased negative affect