Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

Summer 8-3-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

August 2026

Department

Psychology

College Granting Degree

Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Department Granting Degree

Psychology

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Andrzej Nowak

Abstract

Self-reflection encompasses the dual modes of Integration and Expression, the processes of actively attempting to know oneself and doing something with that knowledge. Each mode serves a distinct purpose; however, the long-standing idea that Integration is needed before Expression can occur has been challenged by the demonstrated ability to create and maintain a small, stable identity through constant Expression. Across three studies, a theory was tested of the Integration mode as a method of quickly and sustainably distributing clusters of organization across the self-structure, allowing for diversity in the selves one can coherently express. Study one replicated the previously observed behavior of each process in isolation under different rates of new incoming feedback over time, showing Integration’s usefulness for building global structures of self-understanding and Expression’s usefulness for finding clarity in the moment. Study two tested each mode and their combination as precursors to effective Expression, illustrating lasting benefits of even partial Integration for momentary coherence and clustering maintained during extended Expression. Study three compared the product of different ratios of switching between modes under biased environmental conditions, indicating that global features of the self-structure are stronger and more positive when time Integrating is equal to or prioritized over Expressing, and that ambivalent new experiences are more disruptive to clustering.

Across studies, it was affirmed that Integration privileges global organization of the self through increased and resilient clustering of like-evaluated information, while Expression affirms the persistently attended structure(s) at the cost of exploration of possible selves. Conclusions suggest that attending to the Integration of new self-concepts early and consistently revisiting self-organization among new experiences builds the most persisting growth in self-clarity, though any amount of attention to Integration is better than none. Future directions include expanding the parameters of the model to examine the influence of social factors like variance in cognitive needs and openness to change, examining different levels of self-conception via varied sizes of attentional spotlight, and exploring practical applications of guided self-reflection.

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