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Self-esteem, self-serving cognitions, and health risk behavior
M Gerrard1, F X Gibbons, M Reis-Bergan
1Department of Psychology, Iowa State University, Ames 50010, USA.
Journal of Personality
|December 29, 2000
Summary
Individuals with high self-esteem often use cognitive strategies to downplay personal risk and vulnerability. These self-serving biases can influence health behaviors, depending on the threat and self-enhancement opportunities.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Health Behavior Research
- Social Cognition
Background:
- High self-esteem is linked to risk-taking behaviors.
- Cognitive strategies may mediate the relationship between self-esteem and vulnerability perception.
- Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review research on self-esteem and perceived vulnerability.
- To examine self-serving cognitive strategies used by high self-esteem individuals.
- To explore the link between these strategies and maladaptive health behavior.
Main Methods:
- Review of prospective and experimental research studies.
- Analysis of cognitive strategies, including risk minimization and peer prevalence overestimation.
- Examination of altered perceptions of others' reactions to risk behavior.
Main Results:
- High self-esteem individuals employ self-serving cognitive strategies to avoid acknowledging vulnerability.
- Strategies include minimizing personal risk and overestimating peer risk behavior.
- Adolescents with high self-esteem alter perceptions of others' reactions to their risk-taking.
Conclusions:
- Self-serving cognitive strategies protect high self-esteem individuals from recognizing their vulnerability.
- The maladaptive nature of these strategies depends on threat characteristics and self-enhancement opportunities.
- Further research is needed to understand the implications for health behavior and interventions.
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