| Seven studies investigated the proposal that in the context of an elite university, individuals from relatively lower socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds possess a stigmatized identity and, as such, experience (a) domain-relevant concerns regarding their academic fit and (b) self-regulatory depletion from managing these concerns. Study 1, a correlational study, revealed the predicted associations between SES, concerns about academic fit, and self-regulatory strength. Results from Study 2 suggested that self-presentation involving the academic domain is depleting for lower (but not higher) SES students: After a self-presentation task about academic achievement, lower SES students consumed more candy relative to their higher SES peers. Study 3 sought to demonstrate the results of Study 2 were specific to the academic domain by varying the discussion topic to be either stigma-relevant (academic success) or stigma-irrelevant (nonacademic success). Contrary to hypotheses, however, results revealed lower SES participants were more depleted (i.e., they consumed more candy) compared with their higher SES peers across both topic conditions rather than just in the academic topic condition. The aim of Study 4, then, was to address the potential limitations of Study 3 by changing the stigma-irrelevant discussion topic to a more neutral topic: geographic preferences. In addition, Study 4 employed a different measure of self-regulatory depletion, namely, the Stroop color-naming paradigm. Results from this study revealed the predicted pattern such that lower SES participants assigned to the stigma-relevant topic condition showed the greatest Stroop interference (i.e., depletion) compared to the other three groups. The remaining studies sought to eliminate the group difference in depletion. Study 5 results demonstrated that by increasing the demands of the self-presentation situation via a high-maintenance interaction manipulation (i.e., increasing the interpersonal demands), higher SES participants evidenced depletion equivalent to their lower SES peers. Study 6 revealed the SES group difference could also be eliminated via a social comparison manipulation. Finally, Study 7 examined the potential efficacy of self-affirmation in reducing the depletion experienced by the lower SES participants. However, results from this study failed to support hypotheses. Taken together, results from these studies provide support for the hypothesis that managing concerns about marginality depletes self-regulatory resources. |
