Tactical self-presentation after success and failure.

Abstract

Studied the effects of success and failure on self-presentation where another person was either in a position to give S an evaluation based on his presentation (feedback), or could not give feedback. 108 undergraduates served as Ss. As predicted failure Ss were more positive about themselves under the feedback condition (p < .01), presumably in an effort to get approval from the other person. Success Ss were more modest under the feedback condition (p < .10), presumably in an effort to conserve their tentative high self-evaluations by not appearing too immodest. Subsequent analyses showed that some of the failure Ss responded with positive self-presentations to get approval while others seemed to evidence what A. R. Cohen (see 34:5) termed defensive self-esteem. (17 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved)

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