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Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
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The Simple Life: On the Benefits of Low Self-Complexity

Allen R. McConnell

Miami University, mcconnar{at}muohio.edu

Laura M. Strain

Miami University

Christina M. Brown

Miami University

Robert J. Rydell

Indiana University

This article examines the spillover amplification hypothesis, which proposes that because people lower in self-complexity experience stronger responses to life events they will show relatively better well-being in the presence of positive factors (e.g., better social support) and relatively poorer well-being in the presence of negative factors (e.g., a history of negative experiences). Across three studies, support for spillover amplification was found. Specifically, people lower in self-complexity revealed greater self-esteem, less depression, and fewer illnesses when they had greater social support (Study 1) and more desirable personality characteristics (Study 2), yet they had poorer well-being if they had a history of many negative life events (Study 3). Thus, how one's self-concept is represented in memory moderates the relationship between many well-established factors and well-being.

Key Words: self concept • self-complexity • well-being • social support • personality

This version was published on July 1, 2009

Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Vol. 35, No. 7, 823-835 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0146167209334785
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