Protecting Self-Esteem

Individuals use four common strategies to protect their self-esteem.

First, manipulating appraisals refers to interpreting others' evaluations as more favorable or unfavorable than they actually are, preferring those who affirm it and avoiding those who don’t.

Second, selective information processing focuses more on events consistent with self-evaluation.

Individuals with high self-esteem selectively focus on information that reinforces their positive self-image and recall responsible or successful behaviors more often.

In contrast, those with low self-esteem pay more attention to negative cues and more frequently remember failures or negative actions.

Third, selective social comparison occurs when individuals lack objective standards to evaluate themselves and compare themselves to others with similar age, gender, profession, income, abilities, and beliefs.

They often rate themselves more favorably than their peers and avoid comparisons with high achievers to prevent negative self-assessments.

Lastly, selective commitment to identities helps protect self-esteem by holding on to roles that boost self-worth and letting go of those associated with negative feedback.