Self-esteem Flashcards
What two ways can self-esteem be viewed?
As dispositional self-esteem and as a situational characteristic.
How is self-esteem viewed as a situational characteristic?
A state dependent trait; able to be manipulated.
How is self-esteem viewed as a dispositional?
An overall evaluation of your self-worth; a relatively stable trait.
In what ways do we maintain self-esteem?
Self-serving bias, compensation, self-handicapping.
What is self-serving bias?
Adjusting our perceptions of events so that we come out looking favourably.
How does self-serving bias manifest?
Taking credit for our successes and denying responsibility for failure.
What is group-serving bias?
Denying the positives of out groups, and adjusting perceptions so out-groups seem less favourable and so that your group seems better.
What evidence is there for self-serving bias?
- People were brought in for a study and took a test.
- They were told they either scored high or low on a certain trait
- If they scored low, then they devalued the trait.
What is the problem with self-serving bias?
You never accept responsibility for failure, and never recognize you might be part of the problem.
What is compensation?
Trying to generate a self-esteem boost that will counter balance the self-esteem threat?
How do people compensate for a blow to their self-esteem?
Either putting a lot of effort into what they failed or focusing on other positive self-attributes to compensate for the weakness.
What is compensatory self-inflation?
Focusing on positive attributes to compensate for a weakness.
What is self-handicapping?
Protecting self-esteem by actively doing things to hinder your performance. Incase you fail, you have a ready excuse for failure.
What are the most common forms of self-handicapping?
Alcohol and drug use.
What is the self-handicapping hypothesis?
If self-esteem is on the line and there is uncertainty about being able to maintain it, then people will self-handicap to protect it.
