Selflessness, Depression, and Neuroticism: An Interactionist Perspective on the Effects of Self-Transcendence, Perspective-Taking, and Materialism
Frontiers in Psychology September 23, 2020 Christopher M. Wegemer
Self-transcendence negatively predicted depressive symptoms and neuroticism, while perspective-taking and materialism were positively associated with these outcomes. Self-transcendence moderated the relationship between perspective-taking and depressive symptoms; perspective-taking was not statistically related to depressive symptoms for participants with higher self-transcendence. Person-centered analyses identified five profiles of self-structure: Selfless, Selfless Materialist, Interdependent Insider, Self-centered Non-materialist, and Self-centered. The Selfless cluster was associated with low levels of depressive symptoms and neuroticism, whereas the Self-centered cluster was associated with high levels. The profiles complicate the traditional dichotomy between selflessness and self-centeredness.