what IS self-esteem?
Many theories to explain gender differences hinge upon the assumption that women have lower self-esteem than men. But what is self-esteem and how is it different, if at all, from other constructs like ego, self-concept, and self-image? Where does it come from? Sadly, while many studies attempt to detect the antecedents of self-esteem, both high and low, the construct seems to be difficult to define. The idea is accepted as self-evident, but seems to encompass many different kinds and degrees of knowledge. Wikipedia defines self-esteem as "a person's overall self-appraisal of their worth." Josephs et al (1992) equates self-esteem with the sense that one is a "good person" -- going on to claim that this belief arises from independence for men and interdependence for women. Jennifer Campbell (1990) suggests that high self-esteem is associated with greater certainty in a person's self-beliefs; she claims that people with low self-esteem tend to be more susceptible to negative social cues. Benabou and Tirole (2002), writing from an economic viewpoint, argue that the differentiation between self-confidence and self-deception is a false one.
Lately, the importance of self-esteem as a predictor of behavior has been called into question. Baumeister et al (2003) argue that high achievment causes high self-esteem, and not the reverse. Swann et al's 2007 review arguing for the validity of self-esteem as a predictor provides a decent review of the history of self-esteem theory, showing how the pendulum has moved between self-esteem being a "panacea" to "inconsequential." Scheff and Fearon (2004) suggest that self-esteem research is fundamentally flawed by a bias towards cognitive evaluation versus emotional states. Pelham et al (2005) posit that differentiating between implicit and explicit self-esteem addresses this issue, as well as arguing for a gender difference on this distinction.
Nearly 300 words and I still fail to build a definition of self-esteem any better than what I grabbed off Wikipedia. Well, doesn't that just make me feel cruddy. It's tempting to call it an umbrella term, but I can't really separate out any of the pieces without reverting to the original term. Self-esteem is rarely consistently high in all arenas and is probably more of a state than a trait (that is, it varies day-to-day rather than being stable over time). I know that when I first started testosterone treatment, my self-esteem skyrocketed. I felt fantastic, invulnerable, and competent. Was that a strictly hormonal response, or a feeling of accomplishment over beginning the medical phase of my transition? There's no way for me to tell, but I have my suspicions over which factors had more influence than others.
NB: Campbell was a contributor on Baumeister et al, 2003. See also Baumeister's theories on sexuality and gossip.
Lately, the importance of self-esteem as a predictor of behavior has been called into question. Baumeister et al (2003) argue that high achievment causes high self-esteem, and not the reverse. Swann et al's 2007 review arguing for the validity of self-esteem as a predictor provides a decent review of the history of self-esteem theory, showing how the pendulum has moved between self-esteem being a "panacea" to "inconsequential." Scheff and Fearon (2004) suggest that self-esteem research is fundamentally flawed by a bias towards cognitive evaluation versus emotional states. Pelham et al (2005) posit that differentiating between implicit and explicit self-esteem addresses this issue, as well as arguing for a gender difference on this distinction.
Nearly 300 words and I still fail to build a definition of self-esteem any better than what I grabbed off Wikipedia. Well, doesn't that just make me feel cruddy. It's tempting to call it an umbrella term, but I can't really separate out any of the pieces without reverting to the original term. Self-esteem is rarely consistently high in all arenas and is probably more of a state than a trait (that is, it varies day-to-day rather than being stable over time). I know that when I first started testosterone treatment, my self-esteem skyrocketed. I felt fantastic, invulnerable, and competent. Was that a strictly hormonal response, or a feeling of accomplishment over beginning the medical phase of my transition? There's no way for me to tell, but I have my suspicions over which factors had more influence than others.
NB: Campbell was a contributor on Baumeister et al, 2003. See also Baumeister's theories on sexuality and gossip.