Contingent Self-esteem Research Articles

Exploring the antecedents and consequences of brand addiction among Iranian consumers

Purpose Because brand addiction is one of the most intense forms of consumer–brand relationships, this type of behavior has recently attracted the attention of researchers in the field of consumer behavior management. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the antecedents and consequences of brand addiction among Iranian consumers. Design/methodology/approach This research used a cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire to collect data from a sample of 401 people in Iran. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. Findings This study found that brand love and brand involvement significantly influence brand addiction. Brand addiction was also positively associated with contingent self-esteem (CSE), compulsive shopping and resilience to negative information. Additionally, the results revealed a positive and significant effect of brand involvement on brand love and a similar positive and significant effect of CSE on compulsive shopping. Originality/value By examining the antecedents and consequences of brand addiction in an Islamic country, this research offers valuable insights that can enrich the literature on brand addiction in consumer behavior and brand management.

Conceptualizing social media contingent self-esteem: Associations between echo chambers, contingent self-esteem, and problematic social media use

How social media influences users depends largely on motivations for its use and how the user interprets social media-facilitated interactions. Contingent self-esteem, a construct rooted in self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), can account for differential effects, including addictive use. Three preregistered studies (ntotal = 822) derived social media contingent self-esteem (SMCSE) and examined the factor structure and associations with social media use, addiction, and disorder criteria. Study 1 (N = 412) analyzed exploratory and confirmatory factors. Study 2 (N = 230) examined associations with other domains of contingent self-esteem, basic psychological needs satisfaction and frustration, and measures of social media use and addiction. Study 3 (N = 192) examined associations between SMCSE, identity bubble reinforcement (echo chambers), and social media outcomes. SMCSE was associated with greater social media use and intensity, identity bubble reinforcement, social media addiction, and disorder criteria. Exploratory support was found for mediation models in which identity bubble reinforcement predicted greater SMCSE, which in turn predicted a greater likelihood of social media addiction and disorder.

The Structure of Identity Dysfunction in Self-Report Measures

Identity dysfunction is considered core to psychopathology, contributing to emotional and interpersonal problems across psychiatric diagnoses. Despite its centrality in theories of personality and psychopathology, the empirical research on the structure of identity dysfunction is fragmented by a plethora of self-report measures assessing varied domains of identity dysfunction. This project examines conceptual domains of identity dysfunction in self-report assessments, with the goal of elucidating a clear structure of identity dysfunction to advance both theory and measurement. Toward this aim, we a) investigate the factor structure of identity dysfunction in existing self-report measures, using exploratory factor analysis and b) examine relationships between identity dysfunction and closely related constructs, using exploratory structural equation modeling. We assess responses from 632 young adults to 17 commonly used identity functioning self-report measures. In a series of exploratory factor analyses, we identified four content-domains of Identity Dysfunction (Self-Alienation, Susceptibility to External Influence, Self-Dysregulation, and Contingent Self-Esteem) and three content domains of Identity Clarity (Self-Consistency, Reflective Functioning, and Authentic Living). These content domains were largely well-represented by a single factor. In a series of exploratory structural equation models, emergent factors related similarly to personality, emotion dysregulation, and values and problems in interpersonal relationships.

Mean Girls in Disguise? Associations Between Vulnerable Narcissism and Perpetration of Bullying Among Women

The literature on bullying perpetration is underpinned by gendered undertones, commonly portraying men as bullies given men’s greater tendency to exhibit stereotypically masculine and overtly grandiose features of narcissism. Due to the lack of gender-sensitive inventories employed, the association between narcissism and bullying perpetration among women remains understudied. Using an all-women sample (N = 314), the current study explored grandiose narcissism (overtly immodest and domineering) and vulnerable narcissism (hypersensitive and neurotic), the latter being more prevalent among women, in relation to bullying peers. Correlation analyses showed that vulnerable narcissism was positively associated with verbal, physical, and indirect bullying. At the subscale level, contingent self-esteem, devaluing, and entitlement rage were positively associated with all three types of bullying. Grandiose narcissism was positively associated with physical and verbal bullying, as was grandiose fantasy at the subscale level, and exploitativeness was positively associated with all three types of bullying. When grandiose and vulnerable narcissism were simultaneously entered into a regression model, only vulnerable narcissism emerged as a positive predictor of physical and verbal bullying. At the subscale level, devaluing positively predicted verbal and indirect bullying, whereas hiding the self negatively predicted indirect bullying. Expressions of vulnerable narcissism, more so than grandiose narcissism, may be relevant for bullying perpetration among women. Implications for anti-bullying interventions are discussed.

청소년의 우정 기반 자기가치감과 SNS중독경향성 간의 관계에서 소외에 대한 두려움 및 SNS자기표현의 매개효과

Objective: The study examined the mediating and double mediating effects of fear of missing out and social networking sites (SNS) self-expression (positive self-expression and honest self-expression) on the relationship between adolescents’ friendship contingent self-esteem and SNS addiction tendency.
 Methods: The participants in this study were a total of 413 students (207 male and 206 female) in the first to third years of middle school. Each variable was self-reported using instruments measuring friendship contingent self-esteem, fear of missing out, SNS self-expression, and SNS addiction tendency. For data analysis, frequency analysis, Frequency, Cronbach’s α reliability, and Pearson correlation analyses were performed using the SPSS Statistics 27.0 program, and the mediating effect and the double mediating effect were confirmed using the PROCESS macro model 6 of the SPSS PROCESS macro 4.2 program. Results: Adolescents’ SNS addiction tendencies were positively correlated with friendship contingent self-esteem, fear of missing out and positive self-expression, and honest self-expression. Second, in the relationship between adolescents’ friendship contingent self-esteem and SNS addiction tendency, mediating and double mediating effects of fear of missing out and positive self-expression were found. Third, in the relationship between friendship contingent self-esteem and SNS addiction tendencies, the mediating effect of honest self-expression and the double mediating effect of fear of missing out and honest self-expression were not significant.
 Conclusions: This study emphasizes that adolescents with SNS addiction tendencies due to high friendship contingent self-esteem should be encouraged to reduce their fear of missing out and positive self-expression.

Honesty Is Not Always the Best Policy: The Role of Self-Esteem Based on Others’ Approval in Qualifying the Relationship Between Leader Transparency and Follower Voice

In this article, we integrate social exchange theory with insights from contingent self-esteem to explain why leader transparency (LT) might not always be reciprocated by enhanced follower voice. We theorize that when leaders are transparent, they initiate a social process that offers the exchange of honesty by signaling that the work environment is psychologically safe enough for followers to express their opinions in return. Yet, for individuals whose self-esteem fragilely relies on the approval of others (i.e., self-esteem based on others’ approval), reciprocating transparent communication is more difficult because speaking up exposes their self-worth to the potential for rejection. We test our model at the individual and team level. In Study 1 (individual level), we find that LT is positively related to follower self-rated voice one-month later through enhanced follower psychological safety, but only when follower self-esteem based on others’ approval is low as opposed to high. In Study 2 (team level), we find that team LT is positively related to leader-rated team voice six-months later through team psychological safety; however, only when team level self-esteem based on others’ approval is low, but not high. These results underscore that leader transparency can be reciprocated with enhanced follower voice, but only when followers have secure and stable self-esteem.

Self-Compassion Moderates the Effect of Contingent Self-Esteem on Well-Being: Evidence from Cross-Sectional Survey and Experiment

Self-Compassion Moderates the Effect of Contingent Self-Esteem on Well-Being: Evidence from Cross-Sectional Survey and Experiment

What if parental love is conditional …? Children’s self-esteem profiles and their relationship with parental conditional regard and self-kindness

BackgroundNumerous studies have demonstrated that low, unstable, or contingent self-esteem negatively affects youth development and is linked to adolescent psychopathology. However, most previous studies have applied variable-oriented approaches, and less is known about the natural combination of self-esteem facets in school-aged adolescents, how parental conditional regard affects self-esteem profiles, and how these profiles relate to self-kindness, self-judgement, and life satisfaction.MethodsBy employing a longitudinal person-oriented approach (i.e., latent profile analysis and latent transition analysis) on two-wave longitudinal data from 587 German secondary school students (52.3% female, Mage=13.52 years), this study aims to (1) identify adolescents’ self-esteem profiles based on the level, stability, and contingency of self-esteem; (2) examine the impact of parental conditional regard on the self-esteem profiles explained using self-determination theory; and (3) examine these profiles’ relationship with self-kindness, self-judgement, and life satisfaction.ResultsFour self-esteem profiles were derived: optimal-secure (~ 8%), good (~ 18%), average (~ 36%), and low-insecure (~ 38%). The results reveal a concerningly high proportion as well as a high stability of low-insecure self-esteem (~ 98%) and indicate the strong negative influence of parental conditional regard on the development of optimal-secure self-esteem. Furthermore, the results demonstrate strong correlations between optimal-secure self-esteem, highly developed self-kindness, and high life satisfaction.ConclusionsUsing a longitudinal person-oriented approach, it was possible to identify a group with highly vulnerable self-esteem, characterised by particularly low self-kindness, strong self-judgment, and lower life satisfaction. The findings of this study support the need for prevention and intervention targeting adolescents with low-insecure self-esteem.

Psychometric properties and correlates of the Polish version of the Contingent Self-Esteem Scale (CSES)

Psychometric properties and correlates of the Polish version of the Contingent Self-Esteem Scale (CSES)

The Regulation of Personal Security

Although most motivational psychologists recognize that security is important for healthy development and functioning (e.g., attachment theory), we add to prior work by proposing that the ongoing regulation of security under potential threat involves three unique features. Specifically, security regulation involves an initial preconscious system of threat processing (neuroception) and an internally (vs. externally) generated stop signal of goal completion (yedasentience) as well as the sequential activation of avoidance and approach systems (anxiety-to-approach). Throughout, we consider how the integration of these insights across social and biological sciences accounts for both adaptive and maladaptive patterns of security regulation (e.g., obsessive-compulsive disorder, reactive attachment disorder, contingent self-esteem).

Effect of Contingent Self-Esteem on Inferiority Feelings Among Young Adults: The Mediation Effects of SNS Upward Comparison Moderated by SNS Usage Motivation

Effect of Contingent Self-Esteem on Inferiority Feelings Among Young Adults: The Mediation Effects of SNS Upward Comparison Moderated by SNS Usage Motivation

The effectiveness of Islamic spiritual dignity therapy on self-compassion and self-esteem of single-parent Iranian adolescents

ABSTRACT The aim of the present study was to diagnose the effectiveness of Islamic spiritual dignity therapy (ISDT) in promoting self-compassion and self-esteem in single-parent young girl. This was an applied, quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The sample population included single-parent young girl aged 15–18 years who lived in Mashhad, Iran in 2022. In total, 16 volunteers were selected and randomly assigned to test and control groups. The test group participated in eight sessions of group ISDT, while the control group received no intervention. Data collection tools were the Self-Compassion Scale and the Self-Esteem Contingency Questionnaire for Adolescents. We initially examined the ANCOVA assumptions, and the research hypothesis was tested based on the results of MANCOVA. A significant difference was observed between the study groups (p < .01), indicating that ISDT plays a pivotal role in improving self-compassion and decreasing contingent self-esteem in the samples.

Depressive mood and compulsive social media usage: the mediating roles of contingent self-esteem and social interaction fears

PurposeGiven the limited literature on depression as a contributing factor to compulsive social media use, the present research examines the role of perceived depressive mood (PDM) in developing compulsive social media use behavior. The authors also identify and hypothesize channels such as contingent self-esteem (CSE), social interaction anxiety (SIA) and fear of negative evaluation (FNE), which may explain how PDM affects compulsive social media use.Design/methodology/approachThe research model was empirically tested with a survey of 367 Chinese university students using structural equation modeling by drawing on the escape and self-presentation lenses.FindingsThe findings indicate that PDM contributes to compulsive social media use behavior both directly and indirectly through CSE. Furthermore, the impact of CSE on compulsive social media use is mediated by the FNE, whereas SIA fails to mediate this effect.Practical implicationsThe results can advance the authors’ knowledge of the role and process by which depressive mood impacts compulsive social media use. These findings may add insights into psychological treatment and help in, for example, developing counseling programs or coping strategies for depressed people to protect them from using social media excessively.Originality/valueThis research identifies the pathway mechanism between PDM and compulsive use of social media. It also increases the understanding of how CSE and social interaction deficiencies contribute to compulsive social media usage (CSMU).

When Insecure Self-Worth Drains Students' Energy: Academic Contingent Self-Esteem and Parents' and Teachers' Perceived Conditional Regard as Predictors of School Burnout.

Whereas both the family and school environment have been suggested to affect school burnout risks, the role of conditionally regarding parenting or teaching, in which affection is granted conditional on student achievement, in the development of school burnout has not yet been examined. This longitudinal study investigated students' academic contingent self-esteem and parental and teacher conditional regard as antecedents of school burnout. The study sample consisted of Flemish early adolescents (n = 3409; Mage = 12.4 years (SD = 0.49) at the first measurement occasion; 50.3% males), which were surveyed twice (start of Grade 7 and Grade 8). Using Latent Change Modeling, academic contingent self-esteem was found to predict school burnout. Parental and teacher conditional regard both contributed to school burnout, partly through academic contingent self-esteem. Whereas negative conditional regard had the strongest implications for school burnout, positive conditional regard contributed most strongly to contingent self-esteem. Associations were systematically found both at the between-student level (i.e., high levels of antecedents were related to high levels of school burnout) and at the within-student level (i.e., increases in antecedents over time were related to concomitant increases in school burnout). These findings emphasize that communicating conditional approval to adolescents may increase school burnout risks, thus jeopardizing their healthy academic development.

Shame at the Gates of Medicine: A Hermeneutic Exploration of Premedical Students' Experiences of Shame.

Little is known about the nature of shame in students attempting to enter medical school, despite its potential to impact well-being and professional identity formation during training. In this study, the authors used hermeneutic phenomenology to ask: How do premedical students experience shame as they apply to medical school? From September 2020 to March 2021, the authors recruited 12 students from a U.S. Master of Biomedical Sciences program who intended to apply to medical school. Data collection consisted of each participant creating a "rich picture" depicting a shame experience during their premedical training, a semistructured interview that deeply explored this and other shame experiences, and a debriefing session. Data were analyzed using Ajjawi and Higgs's 6 steps of hermeneutic analysis. Self-concept, composed of an individual's identities and contingencies of self-esteem, was central to participants' shame experiences. Through a confluence of past and future self-concepts and under the influence of external factors and the weight of expectations, shame often destabilized participants' present self-concepts. This destabilization occurred because of events related to application processes (repeat Medical College Admission Test attempts), interpersonal interactions (prehealth advisor meetings), and objective performance measures (grades, test scores). Participants' efforts to restabilize their self-concept catalyzed specific identity processes and self-concept formation. Shame provided a window into the emotional experiences, identity processes, and ideologies that shape students' attempts to enter medical school. The authors discuss the central role of contingencies of self-esteem, the potential origins of performance-based self-esteem in trainees, and the identity negotiation and identity work involved in shame reactions. They call for the adoption of contingencies of self-esteem within current conceptualizations of professional identity formation; training for faculty and prehealth advisors about the nature of shame in premedical learners; and consideration of the consequential validity of standardized tests, which may trigger damaging shame.

The Relationships between Manipulation Strategies sense of authenticity and contingent self-esteem considering relationship with Dark Triad

The Relationships between Manipulation Strategies sense of authenticity and contingent self-esteem considering relationship with Dark Triad

Parental conditional regard: A meta-analysis.

Parental conditional regard involves parents giving or withdrawing affection and approval, depending on children's and adolescents' compliance with parental expectations, to shape behaviors and traits. Research grounded in self-determination theory suggests parental conditional regard harms psychological development. Using self-determination theory as a theoretical foundation for investigating outcomes associated with parental conditional regard, the present study consolidated meta-analytic associations between parental conditional regard and four theoretically important individual difference correlates: introjected self-regulation, contingent self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and relatedness. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic literature search was conducted using the PsycINFO, ProQuest, and EBSCO databases for English-language, peer-reviewed published studies and unpublished studies. Eligible studies reported an association between parental conditional regard and the four theoretically derived correlates or another correlate of interest in pre-adolescent children, adolescents, or young adults. The results were based on a random-effects model for meta-analyses and the Q statistic for moderator analyses. Across 31 samples in total, greater parental conditional regard was significantly associated with more introjected regulation (r = .33), contingent self-esteem (r = .29), and level of depressive symptoms (r = .22); and less relatedness (r = -.24). Moderator results for parental conditional regard type found parental conditional regard's association with introjected regulation was significantly stronger for studies measuring giving regard (parental conditional positive regard) than withdrawing regard (parental conditional negative regard). The association of parental conditional regard with depressive symptoms was significantly stronger for studies measuring parental conditional negative regard than parental conditional positive regard. The meta-analytic results provide theoretical and empirical support for the connections between self-determination and the impact of parental conditional regard.

Socially aversive dark traits and the drive for social connectedness

This research examined for the first time how the “dark” tetrad (psychopathy, Machiavellianism, sadism, and grandiose narcissism) and adjunct dark trait vulnerable narcissism predict drive for social connectedness. Data were collected via an anonymous online survey (N = 395 adults) and analysed via multiple regression. As hypothesised, vulnerable narcissism was significantly and positively associated with a greater desire to experience social connection, but unexpectedly the same relationship was seen for grandiose narcissism. Also as hypothesised both psychopathy and sadism were significant negative predictors of the desire to experience social connectedness, however Machiavellianism failed to contribute significantly to the model. Findings indicate that both grandiose and vulnerable narcissists seek social connectedness, but likely as a means to gratify different needs (attention and contingent self-esteem, respectively).

Relationships between childhood maltreatment, attachment security, and features of narcissism: A network analysis

Childhood maltreatment and insecure attachment are associated with narcissism during adulthood. However, it is unclear how different types of maltreatment exert effects on specific features of narcissism and whether attachment security serves as a link between maltreatment and such features. We used network analyses to investigate the structure of narcissism and the complex interplay between different types of maltreatment, attachment security, and features of narcissism. A total of 718 participants were included in this study. The results revealed that (1) entitlement rage and contingent self-esteem were the most central features in the vulnerable narcissistic community, and leadership/authority was the most central feature in the grandiose narcissistic community; (2) childhood maltreatment was positively associated with features of vulnerable narcissism, whereas it had no or at most a weak negative correlation with features of grandiose narcissism, suggesting a different etiology for the two forms of narcissism; (3) emotional maltreatment had stronger associations with features of vulnerable narcissism compared with other types of maltreatment; and (4) attachment security served as a bridge node between emotional maltreatment and features of narcissism. Our findings suggest that therapists need to attend to maltreatment experienced by and the attachment security of individuals with vulnerable narcissism.

Core Self-Evaluation Buffers or Amplifies the Nightmare of Injustice? Role of Contingent Self-esteem

In response to the call to investigate the mixed findings about the moderating role of core self-evaluations (CSE) on ego threats, we draw on the contingency perspective of self-esteem to propose leader-contingent self-esteem (LCSE) as the boundary condition. Across a multi-wave field study and an online vignette experiment, the empirical results consistently corroborated our theorizing that when employees’ self-esteem was highly contingent on leader’s approval or recognition (i.e., high LCSE), CSE enacted an amplifying effect that causes employees under conditions of leader injustice to experience more ego depletion. In contrast, when employees’ self-esteem was less contingent on the leader (i.e., low LCSE), CSE exhibited a buffering effect that allows employees under leader injustice to experience less ego depletion. In addition, Study 2 found that this ego depletion effect further leads to deviant behaviors in employees. Implications for literatures on CSE, self-esteem and injustice were discussed.