Possible selves : an exploration with young adolescents.
Date
1997
Authors
Shepard, Blythe Catherine
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Abstract
Possible selves is a future-oriented, personalized, affect-laden form of self-knowledge which provides a link between the self-concept and motivation. This study explored the possible selves of young adolescents through an individual interview format called the Possible Selves Mapping Interview (PSMI). The PSMI, based on Cross and Markus' ( 1991) adult questionnaire, was developed to determine the extent to which young adolescents, aged 11 to 13, could generate lists of possible selves, reflect on their responses, make estimations of their capability and expected outcomes, and make plans to achieve their goals.
A purposive sample of 42 young adolescents (22 females and 20 males) from grades 5 to 7 was selected from a small town in the interior of British Columbia. During a 30 to 40 minute interview, hoped-for and feared possible selves were generated and written on file cards. Participants ranked their cards in importance, assessed their competency in achieving (or preventing) important possible selves, rated outcome expectancy, and listed steps taken to bring about (or prevent) these selves. Information was transposed onto a map which was used for summarizing the interview.
The participants were able to produce a number of possible selves, generating more hoped-for than feared future selves. Occupational hoped-for selves and safety feared selves were the most prevalent themes reported by this sample of young adolescents. Boys listed more possession hoped-for selves and lifestyle feared selves than girls. Girls expressed more relationship feared selves than boys. Both sexes rated themselves as very capable of achieving (or preventing) possible selves. They believed that hoped-for selves were likely to occur and that feared selves were less likely to occur. Respondents listed a number of behaviors taken to obtain or prevent these future selves. These results indicate that young adolescents are able to explore possible selves in an interview format.
The PSMI is a format that offers young adolescents an opportunity to self-reflect, appraise levels of competency, and to gather information about hopes and fears for the future; all elements of effective career-life programs. Teachers and counsellors can use the PSMI in a number of ways, including goal setting, exploring gender-role socialization, developing coping strategies, addressing fears, and increasing occupational aspirations.