Do Autonomous Individuals Strive for Self-Positivity? Examining the Role of Autonomy in the Expression of Self-Enhancement
In an effort to further understand factors that influence the expression of self-enhancement, two studies explored the association between autonomy motivation and self-enhancement motivation. We hypothesized that autonomy is positively associated with approach-oriented self-enhancement
strategies and negatively associated with avoidance-oriented self-enhancement strategies, and that self-enhancement would mediate the association between autonomy and psychological well-being. In Study 1, participants completed a measure of self-enhancement strategies and a measure of autonomy.
Autonomy was positively associated with approach-oriented—but negatively associated with avoidance-oriented—self-enhancement strategies. In Study 2, participants completed the same measures of autonomy and self-enhancement, plus measures of psychological well-being. In addition
to replicating the findings of Study 1, the mediation analyses suggested that autonomy was positively associated with psychological well-being through approach-oriented self-enhancement, and negatively associated with psychological well-being through avoidance-oriented self-enhancement.
Keywords: Autonomy; Psychological well-being; Self-determination theory; Self-enhancement; Self-esteem
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: 1: Department of Psychology, Psychology Building, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin Street, Athens, GA,30602, USA 2: Department of Psychology, University of Dayton, 300 College Park, Dayton, OH,45469, USA
Publication date: 04 July 2015
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