Examines self-esteem changes after failure among defensive pessimists and strategic optimists, suggesting defensive pessimism may buffer self-esteem impact.
This study examined changes in state self-esteem following failure among defensive pessimists (DPs) and strategic optimists (SOs), focusing on contingent self-esteem (CSE). Using a scenario-based failure manipulation with 118 undergraduates, we tested whether DPs would show higher CSE and greater post-failure declines in state self-esteem than SOs. Neither hypothesis was supported. Although all groups showed significant declines, effect sizes suggested that defensive pessimism buffers the impact of failure on self-esteem, consistent with Norem and Cantor’s theoretical account. Future research should incorporate success and control conditions to further examine this possibility.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Hirakawa et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: