Relationship between Working Environment, Self-Concept, Real-Ideal Self Discrepancy, and Functionality in Physical Education Teachers

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Abstract
The major purposes of the present study were to determine to what extent and in what ways an individual's personality is affected by the working environment. Three questions were asked about the effect of working environment on: (a) realism or accuracy of self-concept, (b) agreement between real self and ideal self, and (c) functionality of personality characteristics. Subjects were 49 physical education faculty in three inner-city and three suburban Los Angeles area high schools. The Holmen Adjective Check List (HACL) was used to assess self-concept, real-ideal self discrepancy, and functionality. Results showed that: (a) suburban teachers had more accurate self-concepts than did inner-city teachers, (b) suburban teachers were seen as being more like their “ideal selves” than were inner-city teachers, and (c) individuals experienced in a given work setting were not necessarily seen as better adapted to that environment than those not working there.