Self-esteem, performance, and satisfaction: Some tests of a theory.

Abstract

Two studies were conducted to investigate (a) the relationship between the three sources of self-esteem outlined in 1970 study by Korman—chronic, task specific, and socially influenced—and performance on an anagram task, and (6) the moderating effects of task-specific self-esteem on the relationship between performance and satisfaction. College undergraduates participated in each study. It was found that task-specific self-esteem predicted performance for the total sample and socially influenced self-esteem predicted performance for highauthoritarian subjects. It was also found, as predicted, that performance tended to predict satisfaction only for high-self-esteem subjects. A recent theory of organizationa l behavior (Korman, 1970) has emphasized the role of self-esteem in work outcomes. Within balance theoretic framework, the general thrust of the approach is that, all other things being equal, high-self-esteem persons are motivated to perform well on task in order to maintain their self-image of competence. Low-self-esteem persons, on the other hand, are not motivated to perform well since poor performance for them is consistent with their self-image of relative incompetence. A particularly unique aspect of Korman's approach is his postulation of three sources of self-esteem. Chronic self-esteem is seen as a relatively persistent personality trait that occurs relatively consistently across various situations [Korman, 1970, p. 32]. Taskspecific self-esteem refers to an individual's feelings of competence for particular task. Task-specific self-esteem is likely to be function of past experience with the task or similar tasks. Socially influenced self-esteem is function of others' expectations of one's behavior. When others expect person to perform well, and communicate this feeling through their words and behavior, it is expected that the person's own feelings of competence will increase. The three sources of self-esteem, it is theorized, determine person's level of selfperceived competence and ability for the task