Abstract
In four studies, the authors investigated the proposal that in the context of an elite university, individuals from relatively lower socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds possess a stigmatized identity and, as such, experience (a) concerns regarding their academic fit and (b) self-regulatory depletion as a result of managing these concerns. Study 1, a correlational study, revealed the predicted associations between SES, concerns about academic fit, and self-regulatory strength. Results from Studies 2 and 3 suggested that self-presentation involving the academic domain is depleting for lower (but not higher) SES students: After a self-presentation task about academic achievement, lower SES students consumed more candy (Study 2) and exhibited poorer Stroop performance (Study 3) relative to their higher SES peers; in contrast, the groups did not differ after discussing a nonacademic topic (Study 3). Study 4 revealed the potential for eliminating the SES group difference in depletion via a social comparison manipulation. Taken together, these studies support the hypothesis that managing concerns about marginality can have deleterious consequences for self-regulatory resources.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 838-852 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Journal of personality and social psychology |
Volume | 100 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 2011 |
Keywords
- Self-regulation
- Social identity threat
- Socioeconomic status
- Stigma
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Psychology
- Sociology and Political Science