Abstract:Past research has found that high self-esteem individuals tend to respond to failure with increased persistence, even under conditions in which such persistence is nonproductive. Janoff-Bulman and Bri...Past research has found that high self-esteem individuals tend to respond to failure with increased persistence, even under conditions in which such persistence is nonproductive. Janoff-Bulman and Brickman (1982) have argued, however, that high self-esteem individuals tend to make better use of information telling them when to quit and when to persist than low self-esteem individuals. This study tested whether differential sensitivity to information about the efficacy of persistence moderates nonproductive persistence. Following initial failure, high self-esteem subjects who received information linking persistence to performance on a puzzle-solving task tended to persist longer on unsolvable puzzles than did low self-esteem subjects. The reverse was true, however, when subjects received information indicating a noncontingency between persistence and performance. Results are discussed in terms of information use and general performance expectancies.Read More
Publication Year: 1985
Publication Date: 1985-06-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 36
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot