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Cited by 155Attachment and Relationship DynamicsPersonality Traits and PsychologyDeath Anxiety and Social Exclusion

More than words: Reframing compliments from romantic partners fosters security in low self-esteem individuals.

Marigold, Denise C., Holmes, John G., Ross, Michael·2007·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
DOI 10.1037/0022-3514.92.2.232
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Abstract

Although people with low self-esteem (LSEs) doubt their value to their romantic partners, they tend to resist positive feedback from their partners. This resistance undermines their relationships and has been difficult to overcome in past research. The authors investigated whether LSEs could be induced to take their partners' kind words to heart by manipulating how abstractly they described a recent compliment. In 3 studies, LSEs felt more positively about the compliments, about themselves, and about their relationships--as positively as people with high self-esteem (HSEs) felt--when they were encouraged to describe the meaning and significance of the compliments. The effects of this abstract meaning manipulation were still evident 2 weeks later. Thus, when prompted, LSEs can reframe affirmations from their partners to be as meaningful as HSEs generally believe them to be and, consequently, can feel just as secure and satisfied with their romantic relationships.

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Crossref · 10.1037/0022-3514.92.2.232

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  • The intervention's effect on relationship security and quality persisted two weeks later.

    “The intervention's effect on relationship security and quality persisted two weeks later.”

    From The Psychology of Change: Self-Affirmation and Social Psychological Intervention (2014) · cites this paper as Marigold et al. 2007

  • At the end of two weeks, affirmed participants reported that their partners had acted more supportively and less critically toward them.

    “At the end of two weeks, affirmed participants reported that their partners had acted more supportively and less critically toward them”

    From The Psychology of Change: Self-Affirmation and Social Psychological Intervention (2014) · cites this paper as Marigold et al. 2007

  • Relative to various control conditions, including one that asked participants only to recall the compliment, the intervention led low-self-esteem participants to feel more secure both in their relationship and about themselves.

    “Relative to various control conditions, including one that asked participants only to recall the compliment, the intervention led low-self-esteem participants to feel more secure both in their relationship and about themselves.”

    From The Psychology of Change: Self-Affirmation and Social Psychological Intervention (2014) · cites this paper as Marigold et al. 2007

  • High-self-esteem people seem to generate self-affirming meanings more readily in romantic relationships and thus benefit less from affirmation.

    “High-self-esteem people seem to do this more readily in romantic relationships and thus benefit less from affirmation (Marigold et al. 2007).”

    From The Psychology of Change: Self-Affirmation and Social Psychological Intervention (2014) · cites this paper as Marigold et al. 2007

  • HSEs benefit from receiving compliments and social support as it validates and bolsters their positive self-views.

    “For example, unlike LSEs who feel insecure after receiving a compliment, HSEs benefit from receiving compliments and social support as it validates and bolsters their positive self-views (Lee and Way, 2019; Marigold et al., 2007).”

    From Social media use and systemic inflammation: The moderating role of self-esteem (2021) · cites this paper as Marigold et al., 2007

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Authors
Marigold, D. C., Holmes, J. G., & Ross, M.
Affiliations
University of Waterloo (CA)
ORCID
Marigold, Denise C.
Venue
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2007-02
Volume
92
Issue
2
Pages
232-248
ISSN
  • 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1315
DOI
10.1037/0022-3514.92.2.232
OpenAlex
W2054611531
Cited by
155
References
60
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 6
FWCI
11.44
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
Keywords
low self-esteem, romantic relationships, compliments, positive feedback, reframing, abstract meaning, relationship satisfaction, self-concept
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Courtship, Female, Happiness, Humans, Male, Ontario, Mental Recall, Regression Analysis, Reinforcement, Social, Self Concept, Social Perception, Time Factors

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