[Effects of choosing a task on interpersonal feeling and appreciation]

From the viewpoints of relative deprivation and social comparison jealousy, this article reports on a study that investigated the effects of choice on subsequent appropriate feeling and appreciation for another person who is superior to subjects in the same or different field. A 2 x 2 between-groups design was used to determine the effects of choice (present or absent) and field (same or different). Individual differences were assessed by using three scales: Self-Esteem, Self-Monitoring, and Social Desirability. Forty-one male subjects participated in a task and received negative feedback, and then evaluated a superior on both pencil and paper and bogus-pipeline (BPL) measures. Most importantly a significant Choice x SE interaction was obtained on BPL: It means that through experiencing choice the high Self-Esteem subjects can maintain appropriate feeling and appreciation even on BPL although some self-presentation is inevitable.