title: The role of self-esteem in typical and atypical changes in expectations.
abstract: Self-esteem was explored as a factor in appropriate (typical) and inappropriate (atypical) changes in performance expectations across trials of a nonthreatening success condition vs. a threatening failure condition. Participants (51 women, 45 men) were randomly assigned to one of the conditions and completed a self-esteem scale and 8 trials of a timed digit-substitution task. Moderated multiple regression revealed significant interactions between self-esteem and condition for typical and atypical changes. A significant positive relationship between self-esteem and typical changes was found under success and between self-esteem and atypical changes under failure. Differences between conditions were evident only for high self-esteem, with greater typical changes for success and greater atypical changes for failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723, USA. abel@wcuvaxl.wcu.edu
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Abel
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D013997:Time Factors