Self-assessment maintenance theory

The theory of maintaining the self-assessment (Engl. Self-evaluation maintenance model ) is one of Abraham Tesser (1988) developed the theory that one can understand the individual's self-esteem as the result of a dynamic process. The basic assumption is that people strive to maximize their self-esteem (theory of self (worth) protection and self (worth) enhancement).

Self-esteem is viewed as being dependent on two independent processes:

the reflection process,
the social comparison process.

The reflection process shows itself in the individual tendency to associate with other people who have shown themselves to be successful in (achievement) situations. It corresponds to "basking in reflected glory" . The social comparison process refers to the tendency of people to make social comparisons with others (cf. social comparison theory ). The strength of both processes depends on whether a high vs. There is a low performance result of a target person and whether this person is close to the person making the assessment (“unitary relationship” in the sense of Heider, 1958). Proximity is understood to mean a psychological "unity", which is expressed in the fact that the target person z. B. matches the person making the assessment in terms of age, gender, nationality, attitudes , values , hobbies or family background.

The occurrence of the reflection process and the social comparison process depends on the extent to which the behavior shown by the target person affects a sphere that is of high or low relevance for the person. If the sphere of achievement has a low relevance, self-esteem is regulated in the first place by the reflection process. If, on the other hand, the sphere of performance is highly relevant, self-esteem is more likely to be influenced by the social comparison process.

The model of maintaining self-assessment has e.g. B. are of great importance in close relationships, especially since the respective partners - in order not to endanger the quality of the relationship - must not endanger not only their own self-assessment, but also that of their partner. The model of maintaining self-assessment overlaps with the theory of narcissism (cf. Tesser, 1991, 1992 and Willi, 1975, on the concept of “ collusion ”).

Explanation : In the case of high relevance (= the social comparison process has a greater influence on self-esteem regulation relative to the reflection process), the following applies: If a fellow student friend in the specialty, in which the assessor is also very interested, shows an excellent performance, your own possibility "Making it big" questioned. The expected response is then to protect one's self-esteem by lowering the performance of fellow students. In the case of low relevance (= the reflection process has a greater influence on self-esteem regulation relative to the social comparison process), the following is expected: If a fellow student friend is convincing in a subject that is outside the personal interest of the person making the assessment, an attempt is made to improve self-esteem by establishing a connection with of that successful person by emphasizing closeness (see Tesser, 1988).

Individual evidence

↑ Tesser, A. (1988). Toward a self-evaluation maintenance model of social behavior . In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 21, pp. 181-227). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
^ Textbook Social Psychology by Bierhoff - Mention in German
^ Heider, F. (1958). The psychology of interpersonal relations . New York: Wiley.
↑ Beach, SR, Tesser, A., Mendolia, M., Anderson, PO, Whitaker, D. & Fincham, FD (1996). Self maintenance in marriage: Toward a performance ecology of the marital relation. Journal of Family Psychology, 10, 379-396.
↑ Tesser, A. (1991). Social versus clinical approaches to self psychology: The self-evaluation maintenance model and Kohutian object relations theory . In RC Curtis (Ed.), The relational self: Theoretical convergences in psychoanalysis and social psychology (pp. 257-281). New York: Guilford Press.
↑ Tesser, A. (1992). The self in social psychology and psychoanalysis: Some specifics . Psychological Inquiry, 3, 71-73.
↑ Willi, J. (1975). The two-way relationship . Reinbek: Rowohlt.

[1] Tesser, A. (1988). Toward a self-evaluation maintenance model of social behavior . In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 21, pp. 181-227). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

[2] Textbook Social Psychology by Bierhoff - Mention in German

[3] Heider, F. (1958). The psychology of interpersonal relations . New York: Wiley.

[4] Beach, SR, Tesser, A., Mendolia, M., Anderson, PO, Whitaker, D. & Fincham, FD (1996). Self maintenance in marriage: Toward a performance ecology of the marital relation. Journal of Family Psychology, 10, 379-396.

[5] Tesser, A. (1991). Social versus clinical approaches to self psychology: The self-evaluation maintenance model and Kohutian object relations theory . In RC Curtis (Ed.), The relational self: Theoretical convergences in psychoanalysis and social psychology (pp. 257-281). New York: Guilford Press.

[6] Tesser, A. (1992). The self in social psychology and psychoanalysis: Some specifics . Psychological Inquiry, 3, 71-73.

[7] Willi, J. (1975). The two-way relationship . Reinbek: Rowohlt.