Trait Self-Esteem, Positive and Negative Events, and Event-Specific Shifts in Self-Evaluation and Affect

Abstract

Relations between trait self-esteem and event-specific shifts in self-evaluation and affect were explored in two studies of undergraduates (Ns = 170 and 198). Participants were exposed to eight scenarios in which they received positive or negative self-relevant information. In both studies, low trait self-esteem participants anticipated larger negative shifts in global self-evaluation, greater negative generalization across areas of self-concept, and more negative affect after negative events. Trait self-esteem did not consistently predict reactions to positive events. Implications of the findings for the measurement of self-concept stability and affect and for the maintenance and treatment of low trait self-esteem are discussed.