Task performance and responses to failure as functions of imbalance in the self-concept.

The effects of “task- and “ego-oriented” performance on two kinds of overcompensation inequity

“…Independent experimentation of the effect on performance of challenging valued abilities has not yet been carried out. One of the few studies which deal with a somewhat related problem is an experiment by Kaufman (1962). He was interested in determining whether the effects of failure in a task on satisfaction depended on the extent to which the subject conceived the task as a test of a possessed ability and on the value which he placed on the ability.…”

“…This is not to say that self-perceived qualifications may not be a moderator variable in an inequity situation. Vroom's self-concept consistency theory gained experimental support (e.g., Kaufman, 1962), and Friedman and Goodman were right in pointing out that self-concept inconsistency may counteract inequity effects. It seems, however, that they erred in assuming that whenever a person perceives himself qualified (i.e., has high inputs, in their terminology), his motivation to produce will increase.…”

The Effect of Self-Esteem on Leadership and Achievement: A Paradigm and a Review

“…Both Rosenberg (1965) and Sears and Sherman (1964) maintained that a person accepts some expected roles while rejecting others in conformance with his self-concept, thus giving seemingly disparate performances from one setting to another. It has been argued, moreover, that through the expectations of others, a person's self-esteem can be situationally enhanced, and improved performance can result (Kaufman, 1963;Denmark & Guttentag, 1967;Livingston, 1969;Kessler & Wiener, 1972). Controlled experimental investigations by Miyamoto and Dombusch (1956), Reeder et al (1960), Bowers (1963), and Berger et al (1969) have demonstrated just how closely the perceived attitude of others is related to selfesteem.…”

Task ego-involvement and self-esteem as moderators of situationally devalued self-esteem.

“…Low chronic "self-concept" has been found to be related to less effective functioning (e.g., Shaw, 1968). High chronic self-concept has been found to be associated with increased effectiveness of performance (e.g., Denmark & Guttentag, 1967), and situationally enhanced self-concept has been shown to bring about an increased performance (e.g., Kaufman, 1963;Kessler & Wiener, 1972).…”