Gender Differences In Relational Versus Achievement Influences On Selfesteem

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Gender Differences In Relational Versus
Achievement Influences On Self-esteem
Rick L. Payne, B.A., B.S. Department of
Psychology, University of Dayton
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Introduction

• According to Erik Erikson, ones experiences in
  relationship do not form the basis for the
  development of ones identity, as the basic
  underpinnings of ones identity are thought to be
  consolidated prior to the point when a persons
  attention shifts toward enhancing intimacy with
  others (Erikson, 1950).

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Introduction (Continued)

• Nancy Chodorow, Carol Gilligan, and the Women of
  the Stone Center believe that there are (1)
  fundamental differences between men and women in
  the nature of self-concept, and (2) that our
  society tends to overemphasize the agentic ethic
  at the expense of the communal ethic and
  therefore may be missing an integral part of
  womens self-development.

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Introduction (continued)

• Many studies have been performed to examine
  whether gender differences exist in self-concept
  or identity, and mixed results have been found.
• Most studies on gender differences in self-esteem
  indicate that males possess higher self-esteem
  than females.
• Another common finding with regard to self-esteem
  and gender differences is that males and females
  demonstrate high self-esteem when maintaining
  culturally defined gender roles .

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Introduction (continued)

• It has also been reported that high self-esteem
  for both females and males was related to agentic
  traits where individual goals are demonstrated.
• Inconsistencies across the studies remain, and an
  explanation for this may be that men are not
  entirely agentic and women are not entirely
  communal, but that it is more a matter of degree.

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Hypotheses

• Females will experience greater decreases in mood
  and self-esteem following criticism from
  acquaintances than males.
• Females will experience greater increases in mood
  and self-esteem following praise from
  acquaintances than males.
• No difference between males and females in
  changes in mood or self-esteem will be observed
  following scenarios pertaining to loved ones.

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Hypotheses (continued)

• Those that are higher in femininity will
  experience greater decreases in mood and
  self-esteem following criticism from
  acquaintances than those with higher degrees of
  masculinity.
• Those that are higher in femininity will
  experience greater increases in mood and
  self-esteem following praise from acquaintances
  than those with higher degrees of masculinity.
• No difference in mood or self-esteem will be
  observed between those that are higher in
  masculinity and those that are higher in
  femininity following scenarios pertaining to
  loved ones.

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Method

• I will survey a sample of 50 males and 50 females
  from the University of Dayton.
• Participants will complete a measure of sex-role
  identity, as well as pre-test measures of mood
  and self-esteem.
• Next, participants will be randomly assigned to
  vividly imagine and write about a scenario in
  which they were either praised or criticized by a
  loved one or acquaintance.
• Lastly, participants will re-complete the mood
  and self-esteem measures.

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Method (continued)

• Participants will be administered measures of the
  following variables
• Self-esteem
• Sex-role identity
• Mood

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Proposed Analyses

• Preliminary analyses will be carried out in order
  to examine the relationship between demographic
  variables (age and race) and dependent variables
  (change in mood and self-esteem).
• A 2x2x2 factorial ANOVA design will be used to
  conduct a total of four equations.
• In the first three, I will examine the
  significance of the Gender (male or female) x
  Hedonic tone (positive or negative ) x Depth
  (acquaintance or close) interaction on either
  changes in positive mood, negative mood, or self-
  esteem.
• The second three equations will be of the same
  form but substituting gender with sex-role
  identity.
• Only participants high in masculinity or
  femininity will be used in these analyses.

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Proposed Analyses (continued)

• In the first three equations, I expect to find
  significant Gender x Hedonic Tone x Depth
  interactions.
• I will then examine the patterns of means of the
  changes in self-esteem or changes in mood across
  the six groups.
• As stated previously, I hypothesize that, in the
  acquaintance condition, women will experience
  greater decreases in self-esteem or mood
  following a criticism.
• Conversely, in the acquaintance condition, women
  will experience greater increases in self-esteem
  or positive mood following praise. The reverse
  pattern is expected for negative mood.
• No differences between men and women are
  predicted in the loved one conditions.
• A similar pattern of means is expected when
  computing the same analyses, but substituting
  sex-role identity for gender.

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Independent Variables Gender (male or female) x
Depth (acquaintance or loved one) x
Hedonic Tone (praise or criticism)
Dependent Variable Self-esteem
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Independent Variables Gender (male or female) x
Depth (acquaintance or loved one) x
Hedonic Tone (praise or criticism)
Dependent Variable Positive Mood
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Independent Variables Gender (male or female) x
Depth (acquaintance or loved one) x
Hedonic Tone (praise or criticism)
Dependent Variable Negative Mood