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This version was published on September 1, 2007
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Vol. 33, No. 9, 1292-1305 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0146167207303952
© 2007 Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Self-Esteem Memories: Feeling Good About Achievement Success, Feeling Bad About Relationship Distress

David B. Pillemer

University of New Hampshire, david.pillemer{at}unh.edu

Zorana Ivcevic

University of New Hampshire

Rachel A. Gooze

University of New Hampshire

Katherine A. Collins

Wellesley College

College students and middle-aged adults provided memories of occasions when they felt especially good or especially bad about themselves. Probes directed the memory search to several age intervals during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Predominant themes represented in self-esteem memories differed consistently as a function of emotional valence. Memories of positive self-worth frequently focused on achievement/mastery themes, whereas memories of negative self-worth frequently focused on interpersonal/affiliation themes. When people evaluate the self through the lens of autobiographical memory, interpersonal distress is portrayed as especially damaging and achievement success is portrayed as especially enhancing. The asymmetry between positive and negative self-esteem memories is explained using multiple theoretical perspectives within social and personality psychology.

Key Words: autobiographical memory • self-esteem • achievement themes • interpersonal themes


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