Lindsay + Creswell HELPING the self help others

Question 1

Reflecting on an important personal value in a self-affirmation exercise has been shown to have what sort of positive benefits?

Answer 1

EG: Writing about why you value friends
= Buffer different threats to self
- reducing rumination in response to failure feedback
- lowering stress reactivity to social evaluation

Question 2

What are the 2 theoretical perspectives attempting to explain the effects self-affirmation exerts?

Answer 2

1. Sherman + Cohe, 2006
   - self-affirmation boosts self-image for coping w/ self-threats
2. Crocker et al, 2008
   - self-affirmation enables one to transcend self-image by increasing other-directed feelings
   - greater feelings of love + connection = reduced defensiveness

Question 3

What is the aim of the paper E1 + E2?

Answer 3

E1: self-affirmation = increase feelings of self-compassion = increase pro-social behaviour
E2: Whether self-affirmation increases feelings of compassion towards self or others

Question 4

What was the procedure of E1?

Answer 4

1. per + post self-affirmation check list
2. 3 min writing about 3 top ranked value (self-affirmation group) VS why their bottom ranked values might be important for someone else (control condition)
3. Tested for change of feelings
4. Measure of social connection
5. 2 measures of helping behaviour
   - hypothetical charitable giving
   - surprise shelf collapse

Question 5

what were the findings of E1?

Answer 5

1. Self-affirmation ppt has greater increase in feelings of state compassion pre-post writing
2. Self-affirmation group = greater desire for charitable giving
   - BUT family income mediated this effect
3. Self-affirmation group = greater helping behaviour to self-collapse incident
4. no significant self-affirmation condition differences on change in the single items “loving” or “connected”
5. Self-affirmation group did not have a greater increase in general positive affect

Question 6

What were some limitations of study 1?

Answer 6

1. Not used valid measure of state self-compassion
   - made a checklist
2. Unclear whether the increase in compassionate feelings in E1 directed towards others or self

Question 7

What was the procedure of E2?

Answer 7

1. Baseline measures - including trait self-compassion
   - Self-Compassion Scale = measures frq of self-compassionate feelings on a day to day basis
   - NEO-FFI Extraversion subscale
   - Dispositional Positive Emotions Scale Compassion subscale
2. ppt videotaped telling children story
3. 3 min self-affirmation/ control writing exercise (E1)
4. Assessed whether writing important to them
5. Watched either own or other video of storytelling
6. measures how they felt while watching the video
   Measured social perception in response to video
   - how they appeared in the vid + performance
7. Final demographic measures

Question 8

What were the findings of E2?

Answer 8

1. experimental condition identified written task to relate more to their self-identity
2. ppt who watched their own vid had lower levels of compassion vs watching confed’s
3. ppt lower in trait self-compassion rated own vid less favourably vs higher trait ppt + those who watched peer’s vid
4. self-affirming group = greater feelings of compassion towards self-vid vs control
5. Self-affirmation did not influence other-directed feelings of compassion in rating peers ONLY self-compassion IF they had low pre-existing trait levels of self-compassion
6. ppt rated peer vid higher vs self-vid
7. ppt lower in trait self-compassion has lower performance perception of own vis

Question 9

What were the conclusion of E2?

Answer 9

1. Self-affirmation increases feelings of self-compassion
2. Self-affirmation did not affect other-directed feelings of compassion toward a peer video
3. Effect of self-affirmation on self-compassion moderated by trait self compassion
   - self-affirmation boosted self-compassion in those who had low trait self-compassion
   = Self-affirmation fosters compassionate feelings for the self but not others

Question 10

What is the ceiling effect and how can it explain why in E1 people helped but in E2 there was less pro-social behaviour expressed?

Answer 10

1. Confed video high quality which may not have solicited need for compassion
2. watching peer’s embarrassing vid may not have elicited compassion

Question 11

What is meant by eudaimonic benefits?

Answer 11

Greater sense of purpose and meaning in one’s life

Question 12

What is meant by the self-resources account?

Answer 12

Self-affirmation boosts self-image + self-esteem for coping with threat