Self-Esteem and the Relation between Arousal and Relationship-Initiation Motivation by Eric ...

131 Pages·2016·1 MB·English

Self-Esteem and the Relation between Arousal and Relationship-Initiation Motivation
by
Eric Huang
B.Sc., University of Toronto, 2008
M.Sc., University of Victoria, 2013

A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

in the Department of Psychology

© Eric Huang, 2016
University of Victoria

All rights reserved. This dissertation may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or
other means, without the permission of the author.
ii

Supervisory Committee

Self-Esteem and the Relation between Arousal and Relationship-Initiation Motivation
by
Eric Huang
B.Sc., University of Toronto, 2008
M.Sc., University of Victoria, 2013

Supervisory Committee

Dr. Danu Anthony Stinson, Supervisor
(Department of Psychology)

Dr. Louise Chim, Departmental Member
(Department of Psychology)

Dr. Ryan Rhodes, Outside Member
(School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education)
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Supervisory Committee

Dr. Danu Anthony Stinson, Supervisor
(Department of Psychology)

Dr. Louise Chim, Departmental Member
(Department of Psychology)

Dr. Ryan Rhodes, Outside Member
(School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education)
Abstract
Both physiological and emotional arousal can increase romantic attraction towards a desirable
potential partner. Such attraction reflects relationship-initiation motivation, a connection motivation
directed at a new partner, because attraction increases the drive to pursue a social interaction or
relationship with another person. Therefore, arousal appears to influence the need to belong, the
inherent motivation for positive social interactions. A large body of research also reveals that self-
esteem influences people‟s pursuit of belongingness, especially during relationship initiation. Yet the
literature linking arousal and attraction and the research linking self-esteem and attraction have never
been connected. The present research shows that self-esteem moderates how arousal influences
relationship-initiation motivation.
To examine the moderating effect of self-esteem on the relation between arousal and
relationship-initiation motivation, I conducted three studies. Study 1 involved manipulating women‟s
physiological arousal in an anticipated social interaction. Results showed that arousal directly increased
relationship-initiation motivation for higher self-esteem individuals (HSEs) but not lower self-esteem
individuals (LSEs). Study 2 replicated Study 1 with men, showing that arousal increased relationship-
initiation motivation for HSEs but not LSEs, but in this case, the effect wholly depended on men
applying a positive emotional label to their arousal. Study 3 involved manipulating both men‟s and
women‟s arousal in an imagined social interaction. For women, arousal directly decreased HSEs‟ but
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increased LSEs‟ relationship-initiation motivation, the opposite result to Study 1. For men, arousal
directly increased HSEs‟ but decreased LSEs‟ relationship-initiation motivation, replicating the results
of Study 2.
My package of studies connects self-esteem and arousal research, unifying two formerly
separate subject areas. These findings provide an underlying mechanism (i.e., arousal) that explains
how social risk interacts with self-esteem to influence relationship-initiation motivation. Consequently,
my research increases the breadth and depth of current self-esteem theories.
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Table of Contents
Supervisory Committee............................................................................................................................. ii
Abstract .................................................................................................................................................... iii
Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................................... v
List of Tables .......................................................................................................................................... vii
List of Figures .......................................................................................................................................... ix
Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................. xi
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 1
Research Overview ............................................................................................................................... 13
Study 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 22
Methods ................................................................................................................................................ 23
Results .................................................................................................................................................. 25
Discussion ............................................................................................................................................ 31
Study 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 34
Methods ................................................................................................................................................ 34
Results .................................................................................................................................................. 34
Discussion ............................................................................................................................................ 44
Study 3 ..................................................................................................................................................... 45
Methods ................................................................................................................................................ 46
Results .................................................................................................................................................. 48
Discussion ............................................................................................................................................ 59
vi

General Discussion .................................................................................................................................. 62
Limitations and Future Research .......................................................................................................... 70
References ................................................................................................................................................ 77
Appendix A .............................................................................................................................................. 87
Appendix B .............................................................................................................................................. 88
Appendix C .............................................................................................................................................. 95
Appendix D ............................................................................................................................................ 100
Appendix E ............................................................................................................................................ 101
Appendix F ............................................................................................................................................. 102
Appendix G ............................................................................................................................................ 103
Appendix H ............................................................................................................................................ 110
Appendix I.............................................................................................................................................. 111
Appendix J ............................................................................................................................................. 113
Appendix K ............................................................................................................................................ 115
Appendix L ............................................................................................................................................ 116
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List of Tables
Table 1. Variables assessed and zero-order correlations among variables in Study 1 ........................... 26
Table 2. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting positive arousal in Study 1 ............................... 27
Table 3. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting negative arousal in Study 1 ............................. 28
Table 4. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting initiation goals in Study 1 ................................ 29
Table 5. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting chair distance in Study 1 ................................. 30
Table 6. Variables assessed and zero-order correlations among variables in Study 2 ........................... 35
Table 7. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting positive arousal in Study 2 ............................... 37
Table 8. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting negative arousal in Study 2 ............................. 38
Table 9. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting initiation goals in Study 2 ................................ 38
Table 10. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting chair distance in Study 2 ............................... 40
Table 11. Results of hierarchical regressions, including positive arousal, predicting initiation goals in
Study 2 .......................................................................................................................................... 42
Table 12. Results of hierarchical regressions, including positive arousal, predicting chair distance in
Study 2 .......................................................................................................................................... 43
Table 13. Variables assessed and zero-order correlations among variables in Study 3 ......................... 49
Table 14. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting baseline heart rate (HR) in Study 3 ............... 50
Table 15. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting end of study HR in Study 3 ............................. 51
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Table 16. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting positive arousal in Study 3 ............................. 52
Table 17. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting negative arousal in Study 3 ........................... 53
Table 18. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting anticipated acceptance in Study 3 ................. 54
Table 19. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting initiation goals in Study 3 .............................. 55
Table 20. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting initiation goals for women in Study 3 ............ 57
Table 21. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting initiation goals for men in Study 3................. 58
Table 22. Results of hierarchical regressions predicting initiation behavior in Study 3 ........................ 59
ix

List of Figures
Figure 1. A conceptual model of how social risk influences relationship-initiation motivation via
arousal, with each path in the model moderated by self-esteem ................................................. 14
Figure 2. HR reactivity as a function of self-esteem and risk condition in my Master’s study. Results are
graphed for individuals scoring one standard deviation above (HSEs) and below (LSEs) the
mean on self-esteem ..................................................................................................................... 18
Figure 3. Initiation goals as a function of self-esteem and exercise condition in Study 1. Results are
graphed for individuals scoring one standard deviation above (HSEs) and below (LSEs) the
sample mean on self-esteem ......................................................................................................... 29
Figure 4. Chair distance as a function of self-esteem and exercise condition in Study 1. Results are
graphed for individuals scoring one standard deviation above (HSEs) and below (LSEs) the
mean on self-esteem ..................................................................................................................... 30
Figure 5. Positive arousal as a function of self-esteem and exercise condition in Study 2. Results are
graphed for individuals scoring one standard deviation above (HSEs) and below (LSEs) the
mean on self-esteem ..................................................................................................................... 37
Figure 6. Initiation goals as a function of self-esteem and exercise condition in Study 2. Results are
graphed for individuals scoring one standard deviation above (HSEs) and below (LSEs) the
sample mean on self-esteem. ........................................................................................................ 39
x

Figure 7. Chair distance as a function of self-esteem and exercise condition in Study 2. Results are
graphed for individuals scoring one standard deviation above (HSEs) and below (LSEs) the
mean on self-esteem ..................................................................................................................... 40
Figure 8. A conceptual model of how self-esteem and exercise condition influence initiation goals via
self-reported positive arousal in Study 2 ..................................................................................... 42
Figure 9. A conceptual model of how self-esteem and arousal condition influence chair distance via
self-reported positive arousal in Study 2 ..................................................................................... 43
Figure 10. Initiation goals as a function of self-esteem, gender, and condition in Study 3. Results are
graphed for individuals scoring one standard deviation above (HSEs) and below (LSEs) the
sample mean on self-esteem ......................................................................................................... 56