Understanding Self-Consistency Theory and Human Behavior

Self-consistency theory, first proposed by Prescott Lecky, offers a unique perspective on human behavior. This theory posits that individuals are driven by a fundamental need for consistency between their self-concept and their actions. In essence, individuals strive to maintain a coherent and harmonious sense of self, and any discrepancies between their beliefs and behaviors can lead to psychological discomfort.

Lecky’s theory suggests that individuals employ various strategies to maintain self-consistency, such as rationalization, denial, and projection. These defense mechanisms allow individuals to reconcile their actions with their self-concept, even when they may be contradictory or harmful.

The Foundation of Self-Consistency Theory

Self-consistency theory is a profound psychological concept that revolves around the innate human desire to maintain a stable and consistent self-concept. From a stable self-concept, we engage the world. The foundational center simplifies interpretation of the dynamic flow of complex stimuli. The perception of a consist image of self creates a sense of control, which in turn provides some security in an unpredictable world.

Lecky explains that there is “a coherence in the behavior of any single organism which argues against an explanation in terms of chance combinations of determiners and points to an organized dynamic system which tends toward self-determination.” The organized system of the self creates the perception of control over our lives. The recognition of the organism itself as “a determiner is merely a tardy acknowledgment of the very obvious fact that each individual evaluates the world in his own terms” (Lecky, 1945, p. 82).

At its core, self-consistency theory posits that people have an inherent need to perceive themselves consistently. This quest for self-consistency influences how individuals interpret information and experiences. According to this theory, people often reject or distort information that contradicts their established self-concept, even if the conflicting information is accurate. This behavior helps individuals preserve their sense of identity and maintain psychological equilibrium.

Self-Consistency Theory and Behaviorism

When Lecky introduced the concepts of the drive for self-consistency, the behaviorism movement was in full swing. Lecky, a follower of the psychoanalytic branch of psychology, contended that cognitive elements played a significant role in the human experience. The role of self-concept and consistency are some of the major cognitive elements that influence human behavior which behaviorism rejected.

Lecky explains:

“The extreme positions in the controversy regarding the problem of consistency as a characteristic of behavior are represented on the one hand by psychiatry, which finds a high degree of consistency, and on the other by stimulus-response psychology, which finds almost no consistency at all. Psychiatry bases its explanations on the operation of forces located within the organism, stimulus- response psychology on forces operative in the environment” (Lecky, 1945, p. 76).

Lecky took a more complex inclusive view of behavior, theorizing that the task of adaptation “must be conceived in relation to the organism and its environment jointly.” The idea that the environment determines the behavior of organism is as misguided as “the view that the organism controls the environment.” Lecky argues that habit is “the major phenomenon of behavior as we know it.” No matter what the variability in the stimulus, “most persons continue to behave in much the same manner day after day and year after year” (Lecky, 1945, p. 77).

The Role of Self-Concept

Self-concept is a pivotal element in self-consistency theory. It encompasses the beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes that an individual holds about themselves. This self-concept acts as a significant motivator of behavior.

Rev. Sr. Amaka Obineli Ph.D., defines it as:

“The sum of a person’s perceived and desired mental and physical characteristics as well as the person’s perceived worthiness from these, is often referred to as the self concept. Thus self-concept can be viewed as an umbrella term which encompasses the self-image, the ideal-self, and the self-esteem” (Obineli, 2019).

Frederick Thorne explains:

“Self-consistency theory postulates that the concept of self is the core of psychic life, and that all therapeutic efforts should be directed toward a more positive and healthy self-concept with which the person must learn to be self- consistent. Self-consistency theory attempts to maximize cognitive-rational resources in retraining a person to know himself better, to develop a more mature and healthy concept of what he wants to be, and then to train him to behave self-consistently with the primary values of his self concept” (Thorne, 1962).

Joseph LeDoux, a neuroscientist renowned for his research on survival circuits, explains that the main jobs of consciousness is “to keep our life tied together into a coherent story, a self-concept.” Consciousness achieves this by generating explanations of behavior “on the basis of self-image, memories of the past, expectations of the future, the present social situation, and the physical environment in which the behavior is produced” (LeDoux, 2015).

For example, if a person views themselves as compassionate, they are more likely to engage in altruistic actions and avoid behaviors that conflict with this self-view. This need for consistency explains why individuals might resist change or persist in certain actions despite adverse consequences.

See Self-Concept for more on this topic

Self-Consistency and Cognitive Dissonance

Lecky proposes that people usually act in character “because all the acts of an individual have the goal of maintaining the same structure of values” (Lecky, 1945, p. 77). Our self-concept develops from a mixture of biological personality traits and life experiences. However, once a self-concept is adopted in strongly resists environmental pressures to change. This gives us stability but it also limits are ability to change when a self-concept is at odds with external evidence.

Leon Festinger posits that our opinions and attitudes tend “to exist in clusters that are internally consistent.” However, we have plenty of exceptions to this rule. Festinger explains that when such inconsistencies are found to exist, “they capture our interest primarily because they stand in sharp contrast against a background of consistency” (Festinger, 1957, p. 1).

Festinger theorized that cognitive dissonance motivated action to reduce the discomfort of internal opposing forces. He wrote that, cognitive dissonance can be seen as “an antecedent condition which leads to activity oriented toward dissonance reduction just as hunger leads to activity oriented toward hunger reduction” (Festinger, 1957, p. 3). The dissonance may motivate behavior change, or, as in many situations, simply motivates an interpretation of a dissonant behavior that frames it in a consistent

An unkind act performed by someone that holds a self-concept of kindness creates an internal conflict.

See Cognitive Dissonance for more on this topic

Example of Honesty

Self-consistency theory posits that individuals are motivated to maintain a self-concept that is coherent and consistent over time. When it comes to the self-concept of honesty, this theory suggests that a person who views themselves as honest will be driven to act in ways that align with this perception.

For example, if someone sees themselves as an honest individual, they may feel compelled to tell the truth even in situations where lying might benefit them. This motivation stems from the desire to avoid cognitive dissonance—the mental discomfort experienced when one’s beliefs and actions are inconsistent. By behaving honestly, they reinforce their self-image and reduce any internal conflict.

Moreover, maintaining an honest self-concept can extend beyond individual behavior. It may influence how one interacts with others; for instance, an honest person is likely to foster trust within relationships. The consistency between their values (honesty) and actions helps solidify social bonds and enhances their reputation as trustworthy.

In summary, when honesty is integral to someone’s self-concept, it motivates them to act consistently with this value, ensuring alignment between their identity and behavior while minimizing feelings of dissonance or inconsistency.

Nuclear Theory and Self Consistency

Lecky’s nuclear theory contains many of the same concepts as self consistency theory. In his nuclear theory, Lecky proposed there are three characteristics of ideas.

• Ideas are interpretations of events and are susceptible to perceptual error.
• They may be positive or negative.
• They may be conscious or unconscious (Stevens, 1992).

Structure of Ideas and Behavior

Lecky proposed that core beliefs or “nuclei” shape an individual’s personality and behavior. According to this theory, these central beliefs serve as foundational elements that influence a person’s actions, thoughts, and interactions with others throughout their life. The theory refers to three concentric circles as representations of self, thoughts, and behaviors.

Michael J. Stevens explains that self-referential ideas are “at the center, with peripheral ideas arranged at varying distances from the center given their relevance to the self.” Accordingly, this organization determines situational behavior. Behavior serves to “maintain consistency and minimize the need to reorganize ideas” (Stevens, 1992). Lecky wrote that the nucleus of “this organization of feelings, ideas and attitudes consists of the person’s ideas of self” (Lecky, 1945, p. 219).

Subjective Perception

The underlying concept is that when the individual experiences something, they create an idea about the meaning of that experience. Lecky explains that an idea is “the meaning of an experience entirely from the point of view of the individual” (Lecky, 1945, p. 219). An individual’s perception of an event is different than the event itself because of the reference point of self.

From the very beginning of the forming of an idea it is already biased and likely to conform to an individual’s self-referential ideas. This makes new ideas and experiences easy to assimilate into preexisting beliefs and attitudes.

Rosamund and Benjamin Zander explain this process, “all of life comes to us in narrative form; it’s a story we tell.” They then go into detail on the process of creating a narrative, “First, our sense brings us selective information about what is out there; second, the brain constructs its own simulation of the sensations; and only then, third, do we have our first conscious experience of our milieu. The world comes into our consciousness in the form of a map already drawn, a story already told, a hypothesis, a construction of our own making” (Zander & Zander, 2002).

See Selective Information Processing for more on this topic

The key components of Lecky’s nuclear theory include:

• Self-Referential Beliefs: At the heart of this theory are fundamental beliefs that individuals hold about themselves and the world around them. These beliefs form a ‘nucleus’ from which other attitudes and behaviors radiate.
• Influence on Behavior: The nuclei have a significant impact on how people respond to various situations. Actions tend to be consistent with one’s core beliefs; for example, someone who believes strongly in fairness is likely to act justly in their dealings with others.
• Development Over Time: As individuals encounter new experiences and information, their core beliefs may evolve but generally remain stable over time. This stability allows for predictable patterns in behavior based on established self-concepts.
• Social Context: Lecky recognized that cultural and social influences also play a crucial role in shaping these core beliefs. The environment can reinforce or challenge existing nuclei, leading to potential changes in attitude or behavior.

Striving for Unity

When situational behaviors do not match with underlying self referential beliefs these perceptual inconsistencies prompt action to return to unity. We easily assimilate new ideas that smoothly fit with self-referential beliefs. These experiences reaffirm our core ideas of self, maintaining consistency. However, ideas that conflict with these structure require a different approach.

Lecky explains that inconsistent ideas may:

1. be immediately rejected or ignored,
2. be considered transiently, causing ambivalence until accepted or rejected,
3. may force reorganization of mind with elimination of older, inconsistent ideas and retention of newer, more consistent ideas, or
4. may result in more or less permanent disorganization if the inconsistency is not resolved (Lecky, 1945, p. 221).

Applications of Self-Consistency Theory

Self-consistency theory has far-reaching implications in various fields, including therapy, education, and organizational behavior.

In Therapy

In therapeutic settings, understanding self-consistency theory can be instrumental in helping clients develop a more positive and realistic self-concept. By addressing inconsistencies in self-perception, therapists can aid clients in achieving better mental health outcomes. For instance, cognitive-behavioral therapy often involves challenging and reframing negative self-beliefs, thereby fostering a more consistent and positive self-view.

In Education

In educational environments, fostering a consistent and positive self-concept in students can enhance their academic performance and motivation. When students view themselves as capable and competent learners, they are more likely to engage actively in their education and persist through challenges.

In Organizational Behavior

In the realm of organizational behavior, self-consistency theory can inform strategies for employee motivation and job satisfaction. Employees who align their self-concept with their professional roles are likely to exhibit higher levels of job engagement and productivity. Conversely, discrepancies between self-concept and job roles can lead to dissatisfaction and decreased performance.

Associated Concepts

• Social Identity Theory: This theory developed by Henri Tajfel and John Turner in the 1970s explores how individuals’ self-concept and identity are influenced by their membership in social groups.
• Looking Glass Theory: This theory, also known as the Cooley’s Looking-Glass Self, suggests that a person’s self-concept is primarily formed through their perception of how others view them.
• Self-Verification Theory: This theory suggests individuals have a strong need to confirm their self-concept. This means that people seek out information and experiences that validate their self-perceptions, whether positive or negative.
• Self-Completion Theory: This theory explores how individuals strive for a sense of completeness and self-integrity through the pursuit of specific activities, roles, or possessions. According to this theory, people may engage in certain behaviors or seek particular achievements in order to fulfill their perceived identity or to compensate for feelings of inadequacy.
• Rogers’ Theory of Self: Rogers’ theory emphasizes the importance of self-concept in the development of an individual’s personality. According to Rogers, the self-concept consists of the individual’s perceptions and beliefs about themselves.
• Self Psychology: This is a psychoanalytic theory and therapeutic approach that focuses on the internal experiences of individuals, particularly their sense of self and their relationships with others.
• Psychological Coherence: This psychological state refers to the ability to maintain stability and consistency in one’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. When a person experiences psychological coherence, their beliefs, values, attitudes, and actions are generally aligned and in harmony with each other.
• Self-Perception Theory: This theory theory suggests people develop their attitudes and beliefs by observing their behavior and the context in which it occurs. According to this theory, individuals infer their internal states, such as attitudes and emotions, by observing their own behavior and the circumstances in which it occurs.

A Few Words from Psychology Fanatic

In conclusion, self-consistency theory serves as a powerful lens through which we can examine the intricacies of human behavior. By acknowledging our inherent need to maintain a coherent self-concept, we gain valuable insights into the motivations that drive our actions and shape our identities. This understanding not only deepens our appreciation for the complexities of psychological functioning but also equips us with effective strategies for personal growth and development. As we navigate life’s challenges, recognizing the impact of self-concept on decision-making can empower us to make choices that align with our true selves.

Moreover, as we continue to delve into this fascinating area of psychology, it becomes evident that self-consistency theory has far-reaching implications across various fields—be it in therapy, education, or organizational dynamics. The quest for a consistent identity influences how individuals interact with one another and respond to their environments. By harnessing the principles of this theory, practitioners and educators alike can foster more supportive environments conducive to positive change and growth. Ultimately, embracing the journey towards greater self-awareness paves the way for richer connections with ourselves and others in an ever-evolving world.

Last Update: September 5, 2025