Bill and his brother Sam are both trying to get into medical school.When Bill asks Sam for help with his application materials,Sam begrudgingly agrees,but then fails to point out several typing errors on Bill's application.Which of the following best explains this behaviour?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The self-evaluation maintenance model suggests that individuals are motivated to maintain or enhance their own self-esteem. In this scenario, Sam may feel threatened by Bill's potential success in getting into medical school and therefore may be unwilling to help Bill in order to protect his own self-esteem. However, agreeing to help Bill may also serve to maintain Sam's relationship with his brother, even though he may not ultimately help him in the most effective way. Therefore, Sam may have failed to point out the errors on Bill's application in order to avoid damaging his own self-esteem while still maintaining his relationship with his brother.

Bill and His Brother Sam Are Both Trying to Get