title: Interpersonal rejection results in increased appearance satisfaction for women who rely on body weight for self-worth.
abstract: This study examined whether body weight contingent self-worth (BWCSW), the tendency to base self-worth on body weight, moderates the effects of interpersonal rejection on self-esteem and body satisfaction. In an online survey, female undergraduates (N=148) completed measures of trait self-esteem, depression, and BWCSW. In a subsequent lab session, participants were assigned to either an interpersonal rejection or to a neutral control condition, after which they completed measures of state self-esteem and body satisfaction. Compared to women with lower BWCSW, women with higher BWCSW reported lower appearance self-esteem (p=.001) and body satisfaction (p=.004) across conditions. However, they reacted to rejection by reporting greater appearance self-esteem (p=.034) and body satisfaction (p=.021). Rejection had no effect on women with lower BWCSW. The reaction of women with higher BWCSW is interpreted as a compensatory self-enhancement response to interpersonal rejection within a self-important domain.
authors.affiliation: University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Lauren M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: O'Driscoll
authors.affiliation: University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: jjarry@uwindsor.ca.
authors.forename: Josée L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Jarry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D009042:Motivation; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012929:Psychological Distance; D012649:Self Concept; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Body satisfaction; Compensatory self-enhancement; Contingencies of self-worth; Interpersonal rejection; Self-esteem