Latent-Variable Approaches to the Jamesian Model of Importance-Weighted Averages

The individually importance-weighted average (iiwa) model posits that the contribution of specific areas of self-concept to global self-esteem varies systematically with the individual importance placed on each specific component. although intuitively appealing,this model has weak empirical support; thus,within the framework of a substantive-methodological synergy,we propose a multiple-item latent approach to the iiwa model as applied to a range of self-concept domains (physical,academic,spiritual self-concepts) and subdomains (appearance,math,verbal self-concepts) in young adolescents from two countries. tests considering simultaneously the effects of self-concept domains on trait self-esteem did not support the iiwa model. on the contrary,support for a normative group importance model was found,in which importance varied as a function of domains but not individuals. individuals differentially weight the various components of self-concept; however,the weights are largely determined by normative processes,so that little additional information is gained from individual weightings. © 2013 by the society for personality and social psychology,inc.