Self-Esteem & Self-Verification

Self-Esteem

How a person feels about themselves.

Trait Self-Esteem

An individual's overall, enduring sense of self-worth that is stable over time.

State Self-Esteem

Temporary fluctuations in self-esteem based on specific situations or experiences.

Global Self-Esteem

A person's overall evaluation of their self-worth across all areas of life.

Domain-Specific Self-Esteem

Self-esteem tied to specific areas or domains of life, such as academics or sports.

Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES)

A widely used tool for measuring global self-esteem. It was developed by Morris Rosenberg in 1965 and consists of 10 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale (Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree).

Crocker’s Contingencies of Self-Worth Scale

Measures how much a person’s self-esteem depends on success or validation in specific areas of life. Unlike global self-esteem, it shows what "domains" matter most to a person when evaluating their own worth

Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

Explains self-esteem development through the opinions of others, particularly caregivers.

Self-Discrepancy Theory

Explains how differences between our actual, ideal, and ought selves affect our emotions and self-esteem.

Actual Self

Who you think you are right now.

Ideal Self

Who you want to be based on personal dreams and goals.

Ought Self

Who you think you should be based on duties or societal expectations.

Sociometer Theory

Proposes that trait self-esteem acts as an index of relational evaluation.

Meta-Analysis of Domain-Specific Self-Esteem

10 domains

Includes 32,000+ Ps

115 articles & dissertation

10 Domains

1) Physical appearance

2) Athletics

3) Academics

4) Social acceptance

5) Famil

6) Behavioral conduct (how socially accepted one's behavior is)

7) Moral-ethical (perception of moral behavior & religion)

8) Self-satisfaction (happiness with oneself as a person)

9) Personal self (personality apart from physical body)

10) Affect (evaluation of emotional well-being)

Gender Differences in Self-Esteem

Differences in self-esteem levels across domains between men and women.

Men’s SE > Women’s SE

Appearance (after 1980)

Athletics

Personal self (evaluation of personality apart from physical body)

Self-satisfaction (happiness with oneself as a person)

Women’s SE > Men’s SE

Behavioral conduct (how socially accepted one's behavior is)

Moral-ethical (perception of moral behavior & religion)

Women’s SE = Men’s SE (no sig difference)

Academics

Social acceptance

Family

Affect (evaluation of emotional well-being)

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Self-Esteem

Self-esteem trends observed among different racial and ethnic groups.

Changes in Self-Esteem Over Time

Trends in self-esteem changes from childhood through adulthood.

Social Confidence

High self-esteem is linked to greater sociability and assertiveness.

Conformity

Those with high self-esteem are less likely to conform as they feel valued.

Prosocial Behavior

High self-esteem positively influences prosocial behavior.

Self-Enhancement Techniques

Strategies like self-serving bias and downward social comparisons used to boost self-esteem.

Self-Verification

The motivation for others to see us as we truly are.

Cultural Differences in Self-Verification

Manifestation of self-verification varies based on cultural norms and values.