Wood, J. V., Heimpel, S. A., & Michela, J. L. (2003). Savoring Versus Dampening: Self-Esteem Differences in Regulating Positive Affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85(3), 566-580.
Five studies examined the hypotheses that when people experience positive affect, those low in self-esteem are especially likely to dampen that affect, whereas those high in self-esteem are especially likely to savor it. Undergraduate participants' memories for a positive event (Study 1) and their reported reactions to a success (Study 2) supported the dampening prediction. Results also suggest that dampening was associated with worse mood ...