Syncretic self-esteem relates to both agency and communion
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Syncretic self-esteem relates to both agency and communion Shuyi Luo 1 & Hanqi Yun 1 & Yinan Wang 1 Accepted: 17 November 2020 # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Based on Zhongyong wisdom (or the Doctrine of the Mean), the current study argues that syncretic self-esteem, depending on concerns for both the self and others, relates to both agency and communion when controlling for exclusive contingency on either self-interests (i.e., peculiar self-esteem) or the interests of others (i.e., compromised self-esteem). Study 1 showed that syncretic self-esteem was positively correlated with the personality traits of agency and communion, but not with unmitigated agency and communion, when controlling for peculiar and compromised self-esteem. Study 2 showed that syncretic self-esteem was positively correlated with the simultaneous endorsing of high self-competence and self-liking after controlling for peculiar and compromised self-esteem. These results could theoretically help promote both agency and communion and, in practice, contribute to the healthy formation of contingent self-esteem, thus promoting the lasting benefits of human well-being. Keywords Syncretic self-esteem . Agency . Communion . Integration . Well-being
Over the past millennia, human beings have faced two core challenges: moving ahead of others and being accepted by others (Hogan, 1982). Accordingly, agency (focusing on self and forming separations) and communion (focusing on others and forming connections) have been put forward as two broad organizing principles of life (Abele & Wojciszke, 2007; Bakan, 1966). It is worth mentioning that the term “agency” here is not the same as the concept put forward by Bandura, in which agency refers to the human cognitive capability to intentionally influence their own functioning and also life circumstances, composed by four core properties, including intentionality, forethought, self-reactiveness, and selfreflectiveness (Bandura, 2006). By contrast, the “agency” developed by Bakan is one of the two independent fundamental modalities of human existence. Logically, agency and communion are desirable but mutually opposing movements. To be specific, agency emphasizes one’s existence as an individual, while communion underlines one’s existence as a part of a large social unit which implies the connection between oneself Shuyi Luo and Hanqi Yun contributed equally to this work. * Yinan Wang [email protected] 1
Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Back of Main Building, 19 Xinjiekouwai St, Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China
and others. Hence, people can achieve their optimal wellbeing if they have a good balance of these two movements. The existing research has shown that when agency is not mitigated by communion or when communion is not mitigated by agency, negative effects will appear (Helgeson & Frit
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