To belong or to self-enhance? Motivational bases for choosing interaction partners

The present research investigated motives for choosing interaction partners in people with varying levels of self-esteem. The authors predicted that high self-esteem individuals would choose to interact with someone who provided positive feedback about their personalities, regardless of his or her interest in forming a relationship, whereas those with low self-esteem would choose to interact with someone who expressed interest in forming a relationship, regardless of his or her assessment of their personalities. In four studies, participants were asked to choose between two interaction partners who provided feedback that included different combinations of acceptance and positivity. Results supported the authors’ prediction. Discussion addressed the hierarchical nature of social motivation and the seemingly paradoxical interaction preferences of low self-esteem individuals.