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The appeal of worthless groups: Moderating effects of trait self-esteem

Publication ,  Journal Article
Haupt, AL; Leary, MR
Published in: Group Dynamics
January 1, 1997

The authors tested the hypothesis that people with low trait self-esteem prefer to join seemingly worthless groups because one's membership is less tenuous in worthless than in worthwhile groups. One hundred fourteen undergraduate students who completed a measure of trait self-esteem expressed their preference for working in a group versus alone on a task described as worthless or worthwhile. Furthermore, they were told that if they worked with the group, they might be removed from the group either randomly or by a group vote. Participants with low trait self-esteem preferred working with the worthless group more than the worthwhile group, whereas participants with high self-esteem snowed the opposite effect. In addition, the mere possibility of exclusion by a group vote lowered the state self-esteem of participants with low trait self-esteem but raised the self-esteem of those with high self-esteem. Copyright 1997 by the Educational Publishing Foundation.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Group Dynamics

DOI

ISSN

1089-2699

Publication Date

January 1, 1997

Volume

1

Issue

2

Start / End Page

124 / 132

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Psychology
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1503 Business and Management
 

Citation

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Haupt, A. L., & Leary, M. R. (1997). The appeal of worthless groups: Moderating effects of trait self-esteem. Group Dynamics, 1(2), 124–132. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2699.1.2.124
Haupt, A. L., and M. R. Leary. “The appeal of worthless groups: Moderating effects of trait self-esteem.” Group Dynamics 1, no. 2 (January 1, 1997): 124–32. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2699.1.2.124.
Haupt AL, Leary MR. The appeal of worthless groups: Moderating effects of trait self-esteem. Group Dynamics. 1997 Jan 1;1(2):124–32.
Haupt, A. L., and M. R. Leary. “The appeal of worthless groups: Moderating effects of trait self-esteem.” Group Dynamics, vol. 1, no. 2, Jan. 1997, pp. 124–32. Scopus, doi:10.1037/1089-2699.1.2.124.
Haupt AL, Leary MR. The appeal of worthless groups: Moderating effects of trait self-esteem. Group Dynamics. 1997 Jan 1;1(2):124–132.

Published In

Group Dynamics

DOI

ISSN

1089-2699

Publication Date

January 1, 1997

Volume

1

Issue

2

Start / End Page

124 / 132

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Psychology
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1503 Business and Management