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the participants. Participants in the ideal self-discrepancy priming condition were asked to think about and discuss
their own and their parents’ hopes and goals for them. Participants in the ought self-priming condition listed their
own and their parents’ beliefs concerning their duty and obligations. Then all participants again indicated their
current emotions.
As you can see in Figure 11.12 "Results From Higgins, Bond, Klein, and Strauman, 1986", for low self-concept
discrepancy participants, thinking about their ideal or ought selves did not much change their emotions. For high
self-concept discrepancy participants, however, priming the ideal self-concept increased their sadness and dejection,
whereas priming the ought self-concept increased their anxiety and agitation. These results are consistent with the
idea that discrepancies between the ideal and the actual self lead us to experience sadness, dissatisfaction, and other
depression-related emotions, whereas discrepancies between the actual and ought self are more likely to lead to fear,
worry, tension, and other anxiety-related emotions.
Figure 11.12Results From Higgins, Bond, Klein, and Strauman, 1986