Experimental manipulations of self-affirmation: A systematic review

MCQueen, Amy; Klein, William M. P.

doi:10.1080/15298860600805325

Cited by 563Social and Intergroup PsychologyDeath Anxiety and Social ExclusionBehavioral Health and Interventions

Experimental manipulations of self-affirmation: A systematic review

MCQueen, Amy, Klein, William M. P.·2006·Self and Identity

DOI 10.1080/15298860600805325

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Abstract

The objective of this systematic review of studies using self-affirmation manipulations was to identify research gaps and provide information to guide future research. We describe study characteristics, categories of manipulations, and report effects on various dependent variables. Our search strategies yielded 47 eligible articles (69 studies). Manipulations varied by affirmation domain (values or personal characteristics), attainment (participant- or investigator-identified), and procedure (scale, essay, feedback, etc.). Most dependent variables were cognitive. Strong effects of self-affirmation were found for attitudes and persuasion/bias, but future work is needed for variables with mixed results including risk cognitions, intentions, and behavior. Suggestions and considerations for future research involving self-affirmation manipulations are discussed.

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Self-affirmation interventions typically have people write about core personal values.
“Self-affirmation interventions typically have people write about core personal values.”
From The Psychology of Change: Self-Affirmation and Social Psychological Intervention (2014) · cites this paper as McQueen & Klein 2006
The most studied experimental manipulation of self-affirmation has people write about core personal values.
“Although many inductions of self-affirmation exist, the most studied experimental manipulation has people write about core personal values (McQueen & Klein 2006;cf. Napper et al. 2009).”
From The Psychology of Change: Self-Affirmation and Social Psychological Intervention (2014) · cites this paper as McQueen & Klein 2006

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Sherman, D. K., & Cohen, G. L. (2002) · Current Directions in Psychological Science · doi:10.1111/1467-8721.00182 · Cited by 435 · cited 3× · see citing works
“Others have reviewed self-affirmation theory (Aronson, Cohen, & Nail, 1999 ; Sherman & Cohen, 2002 , 2006 ; Steele, 1988 ); however, our goal was to review the manipulations of self-affirmation that are employed to test the theory.”
Result
The cessation of rumination through self-affirmation.
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“However, some researchers have reported a positive effect of self-affirmation on mood relative to comparison conditions (Galinsky et al, 2000 , study 1; Koole, Smeets, van Knippenberg, & Dijksterhuis, 1999 , study 3; Van den Bos, 2001 , study 2) and others reported no significant effect (Cohen et al, 2000 , study 3; K…”
BackgroundResultInfluential
Self-Affirmation Reduces Biased Processing of Health-Risk Information
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An affirmed self and an open mind: Self‐affirmation and sensitivity to argument strength
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“…1996); (3) used an experimental manipulation eliciting self-enhancement strategies other than selfaffirmation (such as derogation of others; Beauregard & Dunning, 1998); or (4) used measures to assess self-affirmation as a dependent variable—either survey-based (Lockwood, Dolderman,…”
Method
Overconfidence as dissonance reduction
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Authors: MCQueen, A., & Klein, W. M. P.
Affiliations: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (US)
University of Pittsburgh (US)
Corresponding author: MCQueen, Amy
ORCID: MCQueen, Amy
Klein, William M. P.
Venue: Self and Identity
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Published: 2006-10
Volume: 5
Issue: 4
Pages: 289-354
ISSN: 1529-8868 (ISSN-L)
1529-8876
DOI: 10.1080/15298860600805325
OpenAlex: W1965768481
Cited by: 563
References: 18
Citations by year: 2026: 10 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 34 · 2021: 62 · 2020: 36 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 43 · 2017: 39 · 2016: 35 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 39 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 21
FWCI: 3.92
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Self and Identity (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
Keywords: self-affirmation, values affirmation, persuasion, attitudes, risk cognition, intention, behavior, cognitive effects, research gaps

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Experimental manipulations of self-affirmation: A systematic review

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