The Effects of Real-World Status and Manipulated Status on the Self-Esteem and Social Competition of Anglo-Americans and Mexican-Americans

Abstract

A 2 x 3 factorial design was employed using ethnic background (Anglo-American and Mexican-American) as the blocking variable, and status rank (no status, low status, and high status) as the independent variable. The dependent variables were the components of self-esteem as measured by a factor analysis of the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory; and social competition, as measured by Tajfel's matrices. One hundred and thirty-two subjects rated an ethnic in-group and out-group after being told that their ethnic group was superior, inferior, or no status information. ANOVAs indicated that all subjects exhibited higher self-esteem in the high-status condition than in the low-status condition, F(2, 125) = 3.85, p = 0.02. Mexican-Americans had lower social-power self-esteem, F(2, 125) = 4.03, p = 0.02, and higher family self-esteem, F(2, 125) = 3.61, p = 0.03, than Anglo-Americans. A MANOVA indicated that all subjects competed most in the high-status condition, F(2, 105) = 10.469, p = 0.002, and thatMexican-Amenrcans were more competitive overall than Anglo-Americans, F(1, 106) = 3.604, p = 0.03.