Role of Self Criticism and Social Comparison in Self Concept Among University Students

Abstract

The present study was aimed to examine the role of self criticism and social comparison in self concept among university students. Moreover, it also focused to determine the role of demographics (gender, age, type of institute, education of participants, parental marital status, family system and parental education) across the study variables. Sample (N = 300) consisted of boys and girls from universities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad with the age range of 19 to 25 years. The major constructs of the study were assessed with a Social Comparison Scale (Rosenberg, 1965),McGill Self Criticism Scale (McGill, 1997) and Six Factor Self-Concept Scale (Stake, 1994).Findings indicated that self-criticism was negatively associated with social comparison andself-concept. Results showed that social comparison was positively associated with self-concept. Significant group differences were also found on gender, family system, education of participants, parental marital status, and parental education. Results showed that male expressed more self-criticism, low social comparison, and self-concept as compared to females. Participants with higher education level expressed more social comparison and self-concept, and low selfcriticism than those who had low education level. It was also found that students enrolled in government institutes reflect lesser social comparison and self-concept and high self-criticism as compared to the students enrolled in private institutes. Study also showed that respondents whose parents were living together had more social comparison and self-concept and less self-criticism as compared to those who were living with single parents. Results showed that the respondents living in nuclear family setup showed lesser social comparison and self-concept and had high inclination of self-criticism as compared to those who were living in joint family system. It was found that participants whose parents were highly educated reflected more social comparison and self-concept and less self-criticism. Practical implications of the study were discussed and suggestions for further research weremade.