The development of self-consciousness in adolescence

Abstract

Adolescence represents a complex developmental stage characterized by significant biological, cognitive, emotional, and social changes. In contemporary society, adolescents’ self-perception is increasingly influenced by digital socialization and virtual environments, which often replace authentic interpersonal interactions and real social group experiences. The present study investigates the relationship between adolescents’ self-consciousness dimensions—private self, public self—and social anxiety.

The main objectives of the research were: identifying and analyzing the factors influencing adolescents’ public and private self-consciousness and social anxiety; investigating adolescents’ perspectives regarding self-perception and the perception of others; and identifying the relationships among the investigated variables.

The findings indicate that adolescents are predominantly concerned with their public self and the way they are perceived by others, while the private self appears to receive less attention. Results also suggest that increased awareness of the public self may be associated with lower levels of social anxiety in some adolescents. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of socio-emotional education and self-awareness programs within the school curriculum.