Self-esteem and Self-perpetuating Effects of Threat on Contingencies of Self-worth

Three studies tested self-esteem as a moderator of the effect of self-threats on contingencies of self-worth. In Studies 1 and 2, participants recalled favorable or unfavorable experiences related to belongingness or academic competence; in Study 3, women watched commercials featuring attractive models. In general, threatening conditions led participants with high self-esteem to decrease the extent to which their self-worth depends on the threatened domain. In contrast, threatening conditions generally led participants with low self-esteem to increase the extent to which their self-worth depends on the threatened domain. The present studies suggest that contingencies of self-worth are malleable and that self-threats affect contingencies of self-worth in ways that perpetuate existing levels of trait self-esteem.