Intrinsic dynamics of state self-esteem: The role of self-concept clarity

•We investigated the intrinsic (internally generated) dynamics of state self-esteem.•3-minute densely sampled state self-esteem time series were collected.•Intrinsic dynamics reflected the structure of the self-system.•State self-esteem intrinsic dynamics were characterized by attractors and repellors.•Self-concept clarity predicted state self-esteem attractors and repellor dynamics.

Change in self-esteem is commonly viewed as random variation or a response to external influence. The present research investigated whether changes in self-esteem are produced instead by the structure of the self-system and thus reflect intrinsic as opposed to extrinsic dynamics. In this view, temporal variability in self-esteem reflects the landscape of attractors and repellers in a person's self-concept. Using a computer mouse procedure (Vallacher, Van Geert, & Nowak, 2015), we recorded 3-min time series of participants' self-esteem and examined whether the temporal patterns stabilized on evaluative states (attractors) or converged on but departed from such states (repellers). We hypothesized and found that participants with higher self-concept clarity (signaling a well-integrated system) had positive self-esteem attractors and weaker self-esteem repellers, whereas those with lower clarity demonstrated less positive self-esteem attractors and stronger self-esteem repellers. Discussion centers on individual variation in self-esteem dynamics and the interplay of exogenous and endogenous sources of self-esteem.