Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026
07:07
Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice
Published on: June 5, 2016
When failure feels better than success: Self-salience, self-consistency, and affect
Marret K Noordewier1, Diederik A Stapel
1Tilburg Centre for Cognition and Communication & Tilburg Institute of Behavioral Economics Research, Tilburg University, The Netherlands. m.k.noordewier@uvt.nl
The British Journal of Social Psychology
|March 3, 2011
Summary
People seek predictable, consistent feedback or positive, self-esteem-boosting feedback. Self-knowledge salience dictates which response dominates: consistency-driven when self-knowledge is prominent, and positivity-driven when it is not.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Individuals value feedback for predictability and self-esteem.
- Self-consistency and positive affirmation are key drivers of feedback preference.
- The role of self-salience in moderating these preferences is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how self-knowledge salience influences preference for self-consistent versus positive feedback.
- To differentiate between primary (under load) and controlled responses to feedback based on self-salience.
Main Methods:
- Experimental design manipulating self-knowledge salience.
- Assessment of participant responses to both self-consistent and positive feedback under varying cognitive load conditions.
- Analysis of feedback preferences in relation to self-esteem levels.
Main Results:
- When self-knowledge is salient, primary responses are consistency-driven, while controlled responses are positivity-driven.
- Without salient self-knowledge, primary responses become positivity-driven, and controlled responses shift to consistency-driven.
- Self-esteem moderates consistency-driven responses when self-knowledge is salient.
Conclusions:
- Self-salience is a critical factor determining whether individuals prioritize feedback consistency or positivity.
- The interplay between self-knowledge, cognitive load, and feedback type shapes human responses.
- Understanding these dynamics offers insights into self-perception and decision-making processes.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model
The Self-Evaluation Maintenance (SEM) model offers a psychological framework to understand how individuals’ self-esteem is influenced by the achievements of others, particularly those with whom they share close personal bonds. The SEM model operates when personal rather than social identity guides individuals. Central to this model is the notion that individuals have an inherent desire to preserve a favorable self-image, which is continuously shaped by interpersonal comparisons and...
01:29Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...
01:27Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison
Social comparison plays a fundamental role in the evaluation of personal success and self-worth. Rather than assessing our achievements in isolation, we interpret their significance relative to personal goals and critically in comparison to the performance of others. A grade of B in a mathematics exam might elicit pride if one's expectation was a C, yet result in disappointment if an A was anticipated or if peers achieved superior results. These comparative evaluations illustrate how both...
03:00Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
01:25Benefits of Self-Esteem
Self-esteem—an individual's overall evaluation of their worth—plays a complex role in psychological functioning and well-being. It is often associated with many positive traits, such as confidence, optimism, and perseverance. Individuals with high self-esteem typically experience better sleep, manage peer pressure more effectively, and report greater life satisfaction. Conversely, low self-esteem has been consistently linked with increased risks of depression, anxiety, and poor academic or...
01:29Self-Serving Bias
Self-serving bias is a cognitive phenomenon in which individuals attribute positive outcomes to internal factors such as their abilities, intelligence, or effort while attributing negative outcomes to external circumstances. This cognitive distortion helps maintain self-esteem but can also impede objective self-assessment.Theoretical Explanations of Self-Serving BiasTwo primary theories explain the self-serving bias: the cognitive explanation and the motivational explanation.The cognitive...