Self-esteem and Women's Performance in Mixed-Gender Negotiation

Past research shows gender stereotype threat effect negatively affects women\u27s economic negotiation outcomes, but little is known about moderators of this effect. The present research investigated self-esteem (SE) level and social contingent self-esteem (SCSE) as potential buffers to the gender stereotype threat effect. Based on the contingencies of self-worth model (Crocker \u26 Wolfe, 2001), we hypothesized that SE level interacts with SCSE to determine women\u27s outcomes at the bargaining table such that high SE women with low SCSE do not confirm gender stereotypes and achieve higher performance in mixed-gender negotiations. Drawing on the integrated process model of stereotype threat effects (Schmader, Johns, \u26 Forbes, 2008), we further hypothesized that anxiety mediates this interaction effect. Results from two experiments were generally consistent with our predictions. Our research highlights the importance of individual differences in SE level and SCSE, as well as anxiety, in understanding the stereotype threat effect in women\u27s negotiations outcomes