Adolescent Self-Consciousness: Longitudinal Age Changes and Gender Differences in Two Cohorts

Adolescence is frequently described as a period of pervasive self-consciousness, but an age-related peak in adolescence is not consistently obtained, and higher self-consciousness in girls is frequently obtained but not predicted by theoretical accounts. Two cohorts of adolescents (N = 393), initially assessed at 13 and 15, completed public and private selfconsciousness measures 3 times in 4 years. They also reported social comparisons and social engagement. Public self-consciousness decreased and private self-consciousness increased in both cohorts, and girls scored higher on both measures, both in longitudinal and sibling replication samples (n = 188). Public self-consciousness appears to be a normative response to adolescent social challenges, with girls' higher levels largely attributable to their closer social engagement. Private self-consciousness emerges as an individual difference in adolescence but is more likely to be salient and predictive of social behavior in adulthood.