RESEARCH_FILE
Jennifer Crocker
Ohio State University
Known for:The contingencies-of-self-worth model of how self-esteem depends on outcomes in domains a person has staked their worth on
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“One bad month and I've lost the gift”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“A bad month is a bad month, not a ruling on my talent.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
Open one recent note, call summary, or demo outline and highlight three specific choices you made on purpose. Then save it in a folder or on a note labeled with the month.
Key findings
- 2001
With Connie Wolfe, proposed that people stake self-worth on specific domains — such as others' approval, competition, appearance, or virtue — and that success or failure in a staked domain drives self-esteem up or down independent of a person's stable traits. Contingencies of Self-Worth ↗
- 2002
With Sommers and Luhtanen, tracked college seniors' daily self-esteem around graduate-school admissions decisions and found academic contingent self-worth predicted self-esteem rising on acceptance days and falling on rejection days — a real-world demonstration that staked-domain outcomes move self-esteem in daily life, not just in the lab. Hopes Dashed and Dreams Fulfilled: Contingencies of Self-Worth and Admissions to Graduate School ↗