Interpersonal evaluations following threats to self: Role of self-esteem

In 2 studies, the authors used dyadic interactions to assess the influence of ego threat on likability as a function of self-esteem. In both studies, 2 naive participants engaged in a structured conversation; in half of the d yads, 1 participant received an ego threat prior to the interaction. In the Ist study, threatened high self-esteem participants were rated as less lik able than were threatened low self-esteem participants. The 2nd study confi rmed that ego threats are associated with decreased liking for those with h igh self-esteem and with increased liking for those with low self-esteem. A mediational analysis demonstrated that decreased liking among high self-es teem participants was due to being perceived as antagonistic. Study 2 also indicated that the findings could not be explained by trait levels of narci ssism. These patterns are interpreted in terms of differential sensitivity to potential interpersonal rejection.