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1971•Journal of Personality and Social PsychologyRequires access

Self-esteem and attraction.

Larry Wallace Jacobs, Ellen Berscheid, Elaine Walster

Open publisher page 82 citations

Abstract

Is a person more receptive to love and affection when his self-esteem, is high or when it is low? Learning theorists, clinicians, and dissonance theorists provide conflicting answers. This paper proposes and tests an explanation for these contradictory research findings. This explanation is based on the assumption that low-self-esteem individuals are unusually receptive to affection when they realize that it is being offered, but that it is most difficult for them to recognize affectionate overtures. A laboratory experiment provides support for this integration.

About this research paper

What this paper is about

Is a person more receptive to love and affection when his self-esteem, is high or when it is low? Learning theorists, clinicians, and dissonance theorists provide conflicting answers. This paper proposes and tests an explanation for these contradictory research findings. This explanation is based on the assumption that low-self-esteem individuals are unusually receptive to affection when they realize that it is being offered, but that it is most difficult for them to recognize affectionate overtures. A laboratory experiment provides support for this integration.

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OpenAlex reports 82 citations for this work. Citation counts describe recorded attention and do not establish research quality.

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Available abstract

Is a person more receptive to love and affection when his self-esteem, is high or when it is low? Learning theorists, clinicians, and dissonance theorists provide conflicting answers. This paper proposes and tests an explanation for these contradictory research findings. This explanation is based on the assumption that low-self-esteem individuals are unusually receptive to affection when they realize that it is being offered, but that it is most difficult for them to recognize affectionate overtures. A laboratory experiment provides support for this integration.

Key concepts: Psychology, Attraction, Interpersonal attraction, Social psychology, Self-esteem, Linguistics, Philosophy

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