Final answer:
A low consistency in someone's self-concept compared to their ideal self indicates incongruence, which aligns with Carl Rogers's theory on self-concept and congruence. This discrepancy can lead to maladjustment and affects overall well-being.
Step-by-step explanation:
Someone's self-concept exhibits low consistency if their view of themselves is different from several aspects, such as the perceptions of friends, societal expectations, their ideal self, and their past self-perception. The self-concept is an individual's set of thoughts and feelings about themselves. Carl Rogers, a humanistic theorist, divided the self into the real self and the ideal self. He suggested that high congruence between these two aspects of the self leads to a greater sense of self-worth and a healthier life. In contrast, when there is a significant discrepancy between the real and ideal self, a state known as incongruence occurs, potentially leading to maladjustment.
Among the options presented, option 3 (Their ideal self) aligns most directly with Rogers's theory on self-concept and the need for congruence. If an individual's self-concept varies greatly from their ideal self, it denotes incongruence and thus low consistency within their self-concept. The process of developing a consistent self-concept involves internalizing messages and perceptions during social interactions and personal development stages, as described by both Erikson's theory of psychosocial development and Mead's theory of social behaviorism.