Reactions to flattery as a function of self‐esteem: Self‐enhancement and cognitive consistency theories

Male subjects who had previously scored either very high or very low on a self‐esteem scale were interviewed about personal characteristics, biographical details, social activities, etc. They then received, via closed‐circuit television, flattering or neutral character assessments which were apparently based on their performance in the interviews. A highly significant interaction ( p <0.001) showed that whereas the subjects of high self‐esteem responded with far greater liking for the evaluator in the flattery than in the neutral condition, those of low self‐esteem somewhat preferred the neutral evaluator. These findings provide clear‐cut support for the cognitive consistency theory regarding reactions to flattery, but do not rule out a concomitant though weaker self‐enhancement effect.