Do self-presentational benefits of high self-esteem during adolescence vary across gender and ethnicity

In order to examine potential benefits of self-presentational strategies, this study investigated ethnic and gender differences in adolescents' perceptions of hypothetical peers portrayed with varying levels of self-esteem. Three hundred thirty eight African-American and Caucasian 7th and 8th grade students participated in a 2 x 2 x 3 (gender by ethnicity by level of self-esteem) experimental study. Participants rated their admiration for peers displaying gender-specific traits presented on the Adolescent Sex Role Inventory (ASRI). Next, they were randomly assigned to read a vignette portraying same gender and ethnicity peers as high, average, or low in self-esteem. Participants were asked to rate how characteristic each quality was of the portrayed peer. It was expected that males would report higher levels of admiration for male peers displaying masculine traits, while females would report higher levels of admiration for female peers displaying feminine traits. It also was presumed that African-American males would report higher levels of admiration for male peers displaying masculine traits than Caucasian males. Further, it was hypothesized that scenarios portraying high self-esteem peers would be perceived as more likely to possess masculine traits and less likely to possess feminine traits than scenarios portraying low or average self-esteem peers. Finally, it was presumed that African-American males would report more admiration for qualities associated with high self-esteem peers than Caucasian males. Results of ANOVA and MANOVA analyses indicated that both males and females reported higher levels of admiration for masculine traits, although African-American students admired both types of traits more strongly. Support for the 2nd hypothesis was found, and ethnic patterns revealed that African-American students perceived high self-esteem peers as possessing more masculine than feminine traits while Caucasian students perceived them as possessing these traits in the same proportion. Analyses failed to support the third hypothesis, but instead showed that all individuals reported higher levels of admiration for the qualities associated with peers portrayed in high self-esteem. Findings are discussed in light of masculinity models of self-esteem and the need for more proficient self-esteem assessment.