Self Concept of Helpless and Mastery Oriented Children

By : Mandeep Kaur, Surendra Kumar Sia

Page No: 225-237

Abstract
Self-concept is an important determinant for healthy and valued social life. In the present study the authors have made a sincere attempt to examine the impact of gender and orientation upon the self concept of the school going children. The sample consisted of 200, i.e. 50 in each cell, ninth grade students from different CBSE board schools at Patiala, Punjab. The requisite target sample of 200, matched upon four stratas, was streamlined from a random sample of 370 ninth grade students based upon their gender and scores upon Performance Measure of Childrens’ helplessness. Findings indicate that, Orientation (helplessness vs mastery oriented) significantly influences all the six dimensions of self-concept, namely, Behavioural Adjustment, Intellectual and School Status, Physical Appearance & Attributes, Freedom from Anxiety, Popularity, Happiness and Satisfaction. Whereas gender influences only two – Physical Appearance & Attributes and Freedom from Anxiety – out of those six dimensions.

Authors :
Surendra Kumar Sia : Associate Professor, Department of Applied Psychology, Pondicherry University, R.V. Nagar, Kalapet, Puducherry-605014.
Mandeep Kaur : Research Scholar —Department of Psychology, Arts Block – II, Punjabi University, Patiala-147002