Sensitivity to feedback and the development of self

Symbolic interactionists theorize that a person's sense of self is derived in communication as a result of the feedback received from others. This research posits that individuals who are more sensitive to feedback will develop different self‐concepts than individuals who are less sensitive to feedback. Results of two investigations reveal that high sensitives are more self‐schematic than low sensitives, while low sensitives are more likely to incorporate specific self‐relevant feedback into their self‐schemas. Implications concerning the role of sensitivity to feedback and self‐schemas for interpersonal communication are discussed.