Self-esteem and the relation between risk behavior and perceptions of vulnerability to unplanned pregnancy in college women

Health Psychol. 1997 Mar;16(2):137-46.

Abstract

This article reports 2 studies testing the hypothesis that individuals with high self-esteem are more likely than those with low self-esteem to interpret information about their personal vulnerability to health risks in a self-serving manner. Study 1 used an experimental paradigm to demonstrate that self-esteem moderates the influence of review of sexual and contraceptive behavior on college women's perceptions of vulnerability to unplanned pregnancy (N = 125). Study 2 used a longitudinal design to demonstrate that self-esteem also moderates the relation between naturally occurring changes in college women's sexual behavior and changes in their risk perception (N = 273). Together, these studies provide evidence that people with high self-esteem use self-serving cognitive strategies to maintain their risk perceptions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological / physiology*
  • Adult
  • Attitude to Health*
  • Contraception Behavior / psychology*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Pregnancy / psychology*
  • Regression Analysis
  • Risk-Taking*
  • Self Concept*
  • Sexual Behavior / statistics & numerical data
  • Students / psychology