Reviewing the Development of Self-Concept: Implications for an Enhanced Model

According to the multiple self-aspects framework, self-concept structure is highly influenced by overlap between self-aspects, and affective spillover may occur when affective reactions to feedback in one domain affect the highly overlapping self-aspects. We review the literature on this framework focusing on developmental implications, and present evidence that trait and emotion information is organized into a self-concept structure at an early age. Further, we propose ways in which examining self-concept contents and structure may inform our understanding of children’s motivation and emotion regulation, the organization of self-aspects across development, and the refinement of models of the emergence and development of self-views.