Table of Contents
Abstract
The Compassionate and Self-Image Goals Scale (C-SIGS) is a psychological instrument designed to assess two distinct motivational orientations individuals adopt when pursuing important goals, especially within close relationships. These orientations are rooted in different motivational perspectives on the relationship between the self and others. The scale measures the extent to which an individual approaches a goal with either a compassionate goal orientation, focused on promoting the well-being of self and others, or a self-image goal orientation, focused on self-protection, validation, and avoiding negative evaluation.
A central finding supported by the scale’s development is that compassionate and self-image goals are not mutually exclusive or opposite ends of a continuum; rather, they can be pursued simultaneously. The scale exists in various forms tailored to specific relational contexts, such as the Friendship version and the Roommate version, allowing researchers to examine how these orientations affect behavior and support within communal relationships.
Keywords
Compassion, Self-Image, Goals, Motivational perspectives, Social psychology, Communal relationships, Self-protection, Interpersonal support, Validation
Authors
Jennifer Crocker, Amy Canevello
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Purpose
The primary purpose of the Compassionate and Self-Image Goals Scale is to quantify individual differences in goal pursuit strategies within interpersonal domains. It aims to distinguish between motivations driven by a desire to foster genuine connection and mutual growth (compassionate goals) and motivations driven by a need to maintain, protect, or enhance one’s public or private self-image (self-image goals).
By measuring these distinct orientations, the scale helps researchers understand how different motivational frameworks influence behavior, social support dynamics, and relationship quality. For instance, while two individuals might share the same overarching goal (e.g., academic success), their underlying goal orientation (compassionate vs. self-image) dictates their intentions toward others and their approach to potential setbacks or conflicts.
Construct
The C-SIGS measures two independent psychological constructs:
- Compassionate Goals: This orientation involves striving to be constructive, supportive, and helpful to others, while also avoiding harm to oneself or others. Key components include having compassion for others’ weaknesses, being supportive, and making a positive difference in someone’s life.
- Self-Image Goals: This orientation centers on the desire for self-validation, the avoidance of negative judgment, and the protection of one’s ego or reputation. Key components involve avoiding being wrong, avoiding rejection, avoiding showing weaknesses, and getting others to acknowledge positive qualities.
The constructs operate orthogonally, meaning a high score on compassionate goals does not necessitate a low score on self-image goals. Individuals can, and often do, approach important life domains with high levels of both types of motivational investment.
Validity
Information regarding the validity of the scale is detailed in the seminal publication by Crocker and Canevello (2008). This foundational work in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology establishes the construct validity by demonstrating that the two goal orientations predict distinct outcomes in communal relationships. For example, compassionate goals are typically associated with increased provision and receipt of social support, whereas self-image goals often lead to behaviors that undermine support, despite the goal holder’s desire for positive outcomes.
Reliability
The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the Compassionate and Self-Image Goals Scale are reported in the original validation study (Crocker & Canevello, 2008). The authors recommend consulting this specific academic source for detailed psychometric properties, including Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for both the compassionate and self-image subscales across different contexts (e.g., friendship, roommate relationships).
Factor Analysis
While specific factor analytic details are contained within the primary citation (Crocker & Canevello, 2008), the scale is structured based on a two-factor model. This structure supports the theoretical distinction between the two motivational orientations, confirming that compassionate goals load onto a separate factor from self-image goals, reinforcing the idea that they are independent motivational systems rather than opposite poles of a single dimension.
Instrument
Test Type: Self-Report Questionnaire
Format: Likert-type scale, typically ranging from 1 (Not at All) to 5 (Extremely) or similar variations, depending on the specific application (e.g., measuring frequency over the past week or intentions for the day).
Language Available: English (Original)
Population Group: Adults and College Students
Age Group: Late Adolescence and Adulthood
Population Details: The scale has been widely used in samples focusing on close interpersonal relationships, particularly among college freshmen and research participants in studies of relationship dynamics.
Test Methodology: Respondents rate the extent to which they desired or tried to achieve specific behaviors or intentions related to a defined relationship context (e.g., friendships, romantic relationships, or roommate dynamics).
Keywords
Psychological assessment, Social goals, Self-validation, Prosocial behavior, Goal orientation, Psychometric scale, Relationship quality, Self-efficacy
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Authors
Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content.
Affiliation Email addresses: Jennifer Crocker: [email protected]; Amy Canevello: [email protected]
Correspondence Address: Not provided in source content.
Permissions & Fee and Test Year
The authors explicitly grant researchers permission to use these measures in their academic research. There is no fee specified for research use. The scale was formally published and validated in 2008.
Reference’s
Crocker, J., & Canevello, A. (2008). Creating and undermining social support in communal relationships: The role of compassionate and self-image goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 555-575.
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Items of the COMPASSIONATE AND SELF-IMAGE GOALS SCALE
The following details reflect the structure and scoring for two common variants of the scale, the Friendship and Roommate versions.
FRIENDSHIP COMPASSIONATE AND SELF-IMAGE GOALS SCALE
- COMPASSIONATE GOALS: items 1, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12
- SELF-IMAGE GOALS: items 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 13
- SCORING: Take the mean of items in each subscale.
In the past week‚ in the area of friendships‚ how much did you want or try to: | Not at All | A little | Somewhat | A lot | Extremely | |
1. | avoid doing things that aren’t helpful to me or others | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
2. | avoid the possibility of being wrong | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
3. | get others to recognize or acknowledge your positive qualities | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
4. | avoid being selfish or self-centered | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
5. | have compassion for others’ mistakes and weaknesses | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
6. | avoid being rejected by others | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
7. | avoid taking risks or making mistakes | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
8. | be constructive in your comments to others | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
9. | avoid showing your weaknesses | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
10. | avoid doing anything that would be harmful to others | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
11. | be supportive of others | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
12. | make a positive difference in someone else’s life | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
13. | convince others that you are right | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
ROOMMATE COMPASSIONATE AND SELF-IMAGE GOALS SCALE
- COMPASSIONATE GOALS: items 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13
- SELF-IMAGE GOALS: items 3, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16
- SCORING: Take the mean of items in each subscale.
TODAY in my relationship with my roommate‚ I wanted / tried to . . . | Not at all | A little | Somewhat | A lot | Extremely | |
1. | Have compassion for my roommate’s mistakes and weaknesses. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
2. | Make a positive difference in my roommate’s life. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
3. | Avoid the possibility of being wrong. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
4. | Be supportive of my roommate. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
5. | Avoid neglecting my relationship with my roommate. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
6. | Avoid being selfish or self-centered. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
7. | Avoid doing things that aren’t helpful to me or my roommate. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
8. | Avoid showing my weaknesses. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
9. | Be constructive in my comments to my roommate. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
10. | Avoid doing anything that would be harmful to my roommate. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
11. | Get my roommate to do things my way. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
12. | Avoid being blamed or criticized. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
13. | Be aware of the impact my behavior might have on my roommate’s feelings. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
14. | Demonstrate my intelligence. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
15. | Convince my roommate that I am right. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
16. | Avoid coming across as unintelligent or incompetent. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Cite this article
Mohammed looti (2025). COMPASSIONATE AND SELF-IMAGE GOALS SCALE. Psychological Scales & Instruments Database. Retrieved from https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/compassionate-and-self-image-goals-scale/
Mohammed looti. "COMPASSIONATE AND SELF-IMAGE GOALS SCALE." Psychological Scales & Instruments Database, 10 Oct. 2025, https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/compassionate-and-self-image-goals-scale/.
Mohammed looti. "COMPASSIONATE AND SELF-IMAGE GOALS SCALE." Psychological Scales & Instruments Database, 2025. https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/compassionate-and-self-image-goals-scale/.
Mohammed looti (2025) 'COMPASSIONATE AND SELF-IMAGE GOALS SCALE', Psychological Scales & Instruments Database. Available at: https://db.arabpsychology.com/scales/compassionate-and-self-image-goals-scale/.
[1] Mohammed looti, "COMPASSIONATE AND SELF-IMAGE GOALS SCALE," Psychological Scales & Instruments Database, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, October, 2025.
Mohammed looti. COMPASSIONATE AND SELF-IMAGE GOALS SCALE. Psychological Scales & Instruments Database. 2025;vol(issue):pages.