During, Camilla and Jessop, Donna C (2014) The moderating impact of self-esteem on self-affirmation effects. British Journal of Health Psychology, 20 (2). pp. 274-289. ISSN 1359-107X
![]() |
PDF
- Published Version
Restricted to SRO admin only Download (247kB) |
Abstract
Objectives
This study explored whether self-esteem would moderate the effectiveness of a self-affirmation manipulation at increasing openness to personally relevant health-risk information.
Design
The study employed a prospective experimental design.
Method
Participants (N = 328) completed either a self-affirmation manipulation or a control task, prior to reading information detailing the health-related consequences of taking insufficient exercise. They then completed a series of measures assessing their cognitions towards exercise and their derogation of the information. Exercise behaviour was assessed at 1-week follow-up.
Results
Self-esteem moderated the impact of self-affirmation on the majority of outcomes. For participants with low self-esteem, the self-affirmation manipulation resulted in more positive attitudes and intentions towards exercise, together with lower levels of derogation of the health-risk information. By contrast, there was no effect of the self-affirmation manipulation on outcomes for participants with high self-esteem.
Conclusion
Findings suggest that self-affirmation manipulations might be of particular benefit for those with low self-esteem in terms of promoting openness towards health-risk information. This is promising from a health promotion perspective, as individuals with low self-esteem often represent those most in need of intervention.
Statement of contribution
What is already known on this subject?
•Self-affirmation has been shown to result in more open processing of personally relevant health-risk information.
•Individuals low in self-esteem tend to process such information more defensively than those high in self-esteem.
What does this study add?
•It explores whether self-esteem moderates the impact of self-affirmation on responses to health-risk information.
•Findings suggest that individuals with low self-esteem benefit most from the self-affirmation manipulation.
•This has important applied implications, as individuals with low self-esteem may be most in need of intervention.
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Schools and Departments: | School of Psychology > Psychology |
Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion |
Depositing User: | Lene Hyltoft |
Date Deposited: | 10 Jul 2015 11:06 |
Last Modified: | 02 Jul 2019 22:33 |
URI: | http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/55284 |
View download statistics for this item
📧 Request an update