We show that people with low self-esteem (LSEs) have difficulty accepting and capitalizing on compliments.
Drawing on mental construal theories, we propose and test an intervention to help LSEs accept compliments.
When LSEs are not thinking about a compliment in relation to their relatively negative self-theories (in a concrete mindset), they capitalize on compliments.
When LSEs are thinking about a compliment in the context of their self-theories (in an abstract mindset), they fail to capitalize on compliments.