Social psychologists and sociologists of work have documented the importance of numerous aspects of work experience for adult self-esteem. The social psychological dynamics of many of these work and self-esteem relationships remain, however, to be explored fully. The research reported here probes these dynamics by examining various sources of self-esteem in work and asking, What's important for whom? The data presented suggest that in the workplace, self-perceived competence is the most important source of self-esteem for most people, followed by reflected approaisals, and then social comparisons. The data also suggest that occupational conditions can affect source importance. A new self-esteem-centered conception of the person-environment fit is proposed based on this analysis.
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