From Dissonance To Disidentification: Selectivity in the Self-Affirmation Process uri icon

abstract

  • Two studies examined the relationship between the content of a self-threat and the attractiveness of available self-affirmations (C. M. Steele, 1988). After self-threat was induced by means of a cognitive dissonance procedure, participants' choices for affirmations were examined in order to explore whether the attractiveness of a given affirmation depends on its relevance to the threatened domain of the self-concept. The authors hypothesized that when faced with a threat to a specific self-conception or standard, individuals may forego affirmations within the threatened self-concept domain in favor of affirmations of unrelated, compensatory domains. Both studies supported this hypothesis and further suggested that such selective self-affirmation can lead individuals to modify their self-concepts by identifying with self-aspects that justify dissonant behavior and by disidentifying with the standards that such behavior violates. 1995 American Psychological Association.

published proceedings

  • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

altmetric score

  • 1

author list (cited authors)

  • Aronson, J., Blanton, H., & Cooper, J.

citation count

  • 127

complete list of authors

  • Aronson, Joshua||Blanton, Hart||Cooper, Joel

publication date

  • January 1995