Self-esteem differences in the effects of hypocrisy induction on behavioral intentions in the health domain.
Two studies investigated whether individuals with varying levels of self-esteem respond differently in the hypocrisy paradigm. In the first study, all participants were regular smokers. Those in the hypocrisy condition delivered a speech in front of a camera on the dangers of smoking. The principal dependent measure was the intention to stop smoking. In the second study, participants in the hypocrisy condition wrote a public (personally identifiable) passage about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. The principal dependent measure was the intention to improve one's health behaviors. In both studies, self-esteem scores were positively related to intentions to change behavior in the hypocrisy condition but not in a control condition. The implications of these findings for conceptions of self-esteem and for dissonance theory are discussed.
Peterson
Alexandra A
AA
The University of Western Ontario, London Ontario.
Haynes
Graeme A
GA
Olson
James M
JM
D000328:Adult; D003073:Cognitive Dissonance; D008192:Deception; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010379:Peer Group; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D035502:Trust; D014342:Truth Disclosure