Swann W B, Pelham B W, Krull D S
Department of Psychology, University of Texas, Austin 78712.
J Pers Soc Psychol. 1989 Nov;57(5):782-91. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.57.5.782.
Three studies asked why people sometimes seek positive feedback (self-enhance) and sometimes seek subjectively accurate feedback (self-verify). Consistent with self-enhancement theory, people with low self-esteem as well as those with high self-esteem indicated that they preferred feedback pertaining to their positive rather than negative self-views. Consistent with self-verification theory, the very people who sought favorable feedback pertaining to their positive self-conceptions sought unfavorable feedback pertaining to their negative self-views, regardless of their level of global self-esteem. Apparently, although all people prefer to seek feedback regarding their positive self-views, when they seek feedback regarding their negative self-views, they seek unfavorable feedback. Whether people self-enhance or self-verify thus seems to be determined by the positivity of the relevant self-conceptions rather than their level of self-esteem or the type of person they are.
三项研究探讨了为何人们有时寻求积极反馈（自我提升），有时又寻求主观准确的反馈（自我验证）。与自我提升理论一致，低自尊者和高自尊者都表示，他们更喜欢与自己积极而非消极自我认知相关的反馈。与自我验证理论一致，那些寻求与自己积极自我概念相关的有利反馈的人，无论其总体自尊水平如何，也会寻求与自己消极自我认知相关的不利反馈。显然，尽管所有人都更喜欢寻求与自己积极自我认知相关的反馈，但当他们寻求与自己消极自我认知相关的反馈时，他们会寻求不利反馈。因此，人们是进行自我提升还是自我验证，似乎取决于相关自我概念的积极性，而非他们的自尊水平或自身类型。
