Looking again, and harder, for a link between low self-esteem and aggression.
Recent field studies have revived the hypothesis that low self-esteem causes aggression. Accordingly, we reanalyzed the data from a previous experiment and conducted a new experiment to study direct physical aggression in the form of blasting a fellow participant with aversive noise. We also conducted a field study using a measure of indirect aggression in the form of a consequential negative evaluation. High narcissists were more aggressive than others but only when provoked by insult or humiliation and only toward the source of criticism. The combination of high self-esteem and high narcissism produced the highest levels of aggression. These results support the view of aggression as stemming from threatened egotism and are inconsistent with the hypothesis that low self-esteem causes either direct or indirect aggression.
Bushman
Brad J
BJ
Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 426 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, USA. bbushman@umich.edu
Baumeister
Roy F
RF
Thomaes
Sander
S
Ryu
Ehri
E
Begeer
Sander
S
West
Stephen G
SG
D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009289:Narcissism; D012649:Self Concept; D012938:Social Perception; D013334:Students