title: The role of self-esteem in affiliation.
abstract: The role of self-esteem in a person's decision to initially affiliate with someone and subsequently maintain that affiliation was examined. A sample of 221 pairs of participants ("observers" and their "affiliates") were administered the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (M. Rosenberg, 1979), the Social Desirability Scale (D. Crowne & D. Marlowe, 1964), and a general interest questionnaire. The observers and most of their affiliates were undergraduate students enrolled at a southwestern U.S. university. Both at initial contact and during maintained affiliation, the observers with high self-esteem scores tended to affiliate with persons who scored significantly lower on self-esteem, and observers with low self-esteem scores tended to affiliate with persons who scored significantly higher on self-esteem. The authors concluded that a person's level of self-esteem may play an important role in his or her choices of affiliates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Sociology, Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX 76909, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Astra
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D012928:Social Desirability; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires