Ego-identity and the processing of self-relevant information

Ego-identity has been defined as a theory of self (e.g., Moshman, 1999) in which identity exploration is the instrument used for the construction of the theory (Grotevant, 1987). It is thought that those who are engaged in identity exploration actively seek out information and test hypotheses about their theory of self and that they process information, especially information related to the self, differently from those who are not exploring (Berzonsky, 1989). The current study was an attempt to examine this proposition by exploring the relationship between ego-identity and the processing of information related to the self. The results suggest that identity exploration does play a significant role in the processing of self-referential information.

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