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Related Concept Videos

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification03:00

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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...
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According to Charles Cooley, we base our image on what we think other people see (Cooley 1902). We imagine how we must appear to others, then react to this speculation. We don certain clothes, prepare our hair in a particular manner, wear makeup, use cologne, and the like—all with the notion that our presentation of ourselves is going to affect how others perceive us. We expect a certain reaction, and, if lucky, we get the one we desire and feel good about it. But more than that, Cooley...
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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...
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Self-esteem is intricately tied to our perception of competence and our ability to exert control over our lives. One of the primary sources of this perception is performance feedback — the ongoing evaluation of our actions in terms of success and failure. According to Franks and Marolla (1976), people derive self-worth from experiencing themselves as causal agents, capable of achieving goals and overcoming obstacles. This process nurtures a critical component of self-esteem:...
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Self-esteem, a central component of psychological well-being, is actively maintained through various cognitive and behavioral strategies. Individuals employ specific mechanisms to preserve a positive self-concept and mitigate threats to their self-worth, particularly in contexts involving social evaluation or personal feedback. Four primary techniques are commonly used to sustain self-esteem.Manipulating AppraisalsOne prominent strategy involves manipulating appraisals from others. Individuals...
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Self-Enhancement: Food for Thought.

Constantine Sedikides1, Aiden P Gregg2

  • 1University of Southampton, Southampton, England, United Kingdom.

Perspectives on Psychological Science : a Journal of the Association for Psychological Science
|July 10, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Self-enhancement, a positive self-view, is explored across four levels: effect, process, trait, and motive. This fundamental human tendency, like eating, is analyzed through various manifestations and cultural contexts.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Personality Psychology

Background:

  • Self-enhancement involves a biased positive self-perception.
  • Research on self-enhancement spans various psychological domains.
  • Understanding self-enhancement is crucial for comprehending human nature.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To define and categorize self-enhancement phenomena.
  • To organize existing research on self-enhancement.
  • To provide an intuitive framework for understanding self-enhancement.

Main Methods:

  • Distinguishing four levels of self-enhancement: effect, process, trait, and motive.
  • Utilizing an analogy with eating to illustrate concepts.
  • Reviewing and synthesizing existing literature on self-enhancement.

Main Results:

  • Self-enhancement manifests in observable behaviors and internal processes.
  • Ego-affirmation and threat dynamics are experimentally documented.
  • Self-enhancement is a cross-cultural phenomenon with varying expressions.

Conclusions:

  • Self-enhancement is a fundamental aspect of human psychology.
  • The four-level framework provides a comprehensive structure for research.
  • Further investigation into cultural and intrapsychic comparisons is warranted.