ABSTRACT
This chapter considers whether some other motive besides a desire to protect or enhance self-esteem might account for egotism such as cognitive dissonance or the desire to feel in control of one’s environment. Egotism can also be distinguished from both of the meanings of egocentricity found in F. Heider. A number of variables that enhance egotism can be understood as influencing one or the other factor. Whether egotism occurs should depend on the probability that it will successfully defend or enhance self-esteem. M. L. Snyder et al. found evidence for egotism when male subjects competed in a matrix game. D. T. Miller eliminated differences in effort or any other feature of performance as an explanation for the impact of ego involvement on egotism. There are some data that reflect indirectly on the outcome/attribution factor, and furthermore, they point to an alternative explanation for learnedhelplessness effects in terms of egotism.
