ABSTRACT
Images of the self, one's self-description, differ from person to person. Self-images differ also within persons. Central aspects of self-image are likely to be highly accessible in most situations, whereas peripheral aspects of self-image will vary in their accessibility (Markus & Wurf, 1987). What is a central attribute of one person's self-image might be a peripheral aspect of the self-image of someone else. The factors that determine individuals' perceptions of the central aspects of their self-images are not well understood. In this chapter, we identify attribute population-distinctiveness as one major determinant of the perceived centrality of attributes in the self-image and examine the impact of sharing such attributes with others.
