Abstract construal levels attenuate state self-esteem reactivity Academic Article

abstract

• The reactivity of state self-esteem has been linked to a number of important psychological outcomes, ranging from general well-being to psychological dysfunction. The present research aimed to identify a cognitive factor underlying state self-esteem reactivity by exploring how construal levels influence the extent to which state self-esteem reacts to positive and negative experiences. It was hypothesized that abstract construals would mitigate the effects of evaluative information on state self-esteem. The results of two studies supported this hypothesis. Participants in an abstract mindset did not differ in state self-esteem after receiving positive, negative, or no evaluative information. Participants in a concrete mindset, in contrast, experienced lower levels of state self-esteem following negative evaluative information. The significance of these findings for understanding the link between abstraction and psychological vulnerability is discussed. 2011 Elsevier Inc.

authors

• Schlegel, Rebecca
• Vess, Matthew

published proceedings

• JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

author list (cited authors)

• Vess, M., Arndt, J., & Schlegel, R. J.

citation count

• 19

complete list of authors

• Vess, Matthew||Arndt, Jamie||Schlegel, Rebecca J

publication date

• January 2011

publisher

• Elsevier  Publisher

published in

• Journal of Experimental Social Psychology  Journal

keywords

• Construal Levels
• Self-esteem Reactivity

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1016/j.jesp.2011.02.014

start page

• 861

end page

• 864

volume

• 47

issue

• 4

URL

• http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2011.02.014