The Concept of Ego Threat in Social and Personality Psychology: Is Ego Threat a Viable Scientific Construct?

Abstract

Although widely invoked as an explanation for psychological phenomena, ego threat has been conceptualized and induced in a variety of ways. Most contemporary research conceptualizes ego threat as a threat to a person's self-image or self-esteem, but experimental operationalizations of ego threat usually confound threats to self-esteem with threats to public image or decreased control over negative events, leading to an inability to distinguish the effects of threats to people's personal egos from threats to public image or threats to feelings of control. This article reviews research on ego threat, discusses experimental manipulations that confound ego threat with other processes, and makes recommendations regarding the use of ego threat as a construct in personality and social psychology.

The effect of aggression management training programmes for nursing staff and students working in an acute hospital setting. A narrative review of current literature

“…However, an important new finding in our study is the emotional impact of negatively evaluated aggression. Patient insults, critique or rejection can be perceived as social rejection, a threat to one's own self-esteem, or perceived control (59) and trigger challenging emotions such as anger, frustration, impatience or fear.…”

Christian self-enhancement.

“…Moreover, a central component of self-enhancement is defense against "ego threat" (Greenberg, Solomon, & Pyszczynski, 1997;Greenwald, 1988;Hepper, Gramzow, & Sedikides, 2010;Kunda, 1990; for a review, see Leary, Terry, Allen, & Tate, 2009). For example, Hart, Shaver, and Goldenberg (2005) argue that people self-enhance to buffer against weak social ties, thwarted attachment, and death anxiety.…”

Public versus Private Voice

“…Image threat is distinct from other forms of threat that voice might elicit. For instance, voice from employees can also increase anxiety in managers about their own decisions, choices, and self-worth-that is, ego threat (Leary, Terry, Allen, & Tate, 2009). We demonstrate that ego threat, although an important explanation for managers' defensiveness toward voice (e.g., Fast et al, 2014), would not specifically explain their negative reactions toward publicly expressed voice.…”