Motivational and Emotional Aspects of the Self

2006/08/22 by Mark R. Leary · 2 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Emotions and Moral Behavior #Cultural Differences and Values #Social and Intergroup Psychology #Embarrassment #Shame #Psychology #Pride #Social psychology #Social anxiety #Self-enhancement #Self #Function (biology) #Anxiety #Cognitive psychology

paper · doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.58.110405.085658

openalex publication_date 2006/08/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04

Abstract

Recent theory and research are reviewed regarding self-related motives (self-enhancement, self-verification, and self-expansion) and self-conscious emotions (guilt, shame, pride, social anxiety, and embarrassment), with an emphasis on how these motivational and emotional aspects of the self might be related. Specifically, these motives and emotions appear to function to protect people's social well-being. The motives to self-enhance, self-verify, and self-expand are partly rooted in people's concerns with social approval and acceptance, and self-conscious emotions arise in response to events that have real or imagined implications for others' judgments of the individual. Thus, these motives and emotions do not operate to maintain certain states of the self, as some have suggested, but rather to facilitate people's social interactions and relationships.

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Cited by

• Self-Enhancement and Psychological Adjustment: A Meta-Analytic Review
• Positive illusions [wikipedia]