Self-Esteem PDF

THE SOCIAL SELF: SELF-ESTEEM Self-Appreciation Exercise  WHAT IS SELF-ESTEEM? Esteem comes from the Latin aestimare – “to estimate or appraise.” It is the affectively charged component of the self that is comprised of a person’s positive and negative self-evaluations. Cul...

THE SOCIAL SELF: SELF-ESTEEM Self-Appreciation Exercise  WHAT IS SELF-ESTEEM? Esteem comes from the Latin aestimare – “to estimate or appraise.” It is the affectively charged component of the self that is comprised of a person’s positive and negative self-evaluations. Culture and self-esteem Self-esteem influences our behavior Self-esteem (low and high) and threats to self  THE NEED TO ENHANCE SELF- ESTEEM Leary & Baumeister (2000): People are inherently social animals. Need for self-esteem is driven by primitive need to connect with others and gain their approval. To avoid social rejection and maintain social acceptance  THE NEED TO ENHANCE SELF- ESTEEM Satisfying this need is critical to our entire outlook on life. Those with a positive self-image tend to be happy, healthy, productive, and successful. Those with a negative self-image tend to be more depressed, pessimistic about the future, and prone to failure.  THEORIES ON SELF-ESTEEM Sociometer Theory (Leary & Baumeister, 2000) - “People are inherently social animals and that the desire for self-esteem is driven by a more primitive need to connect with others and gain their approval.” - Sociometer – a mechanism that enables us to detect acceptance and rejection, and translate these perceptions into high and low self-esteem. - If we feel accepted, we may feel high self-esteem.  THEORIES ON SELF-ESTEEM Terror Management Theory (Greenberg, et.al., 1997) - In order to cope with the fear of our death, we construct cultural worldviews that help to preserve our self-esteem. - We engage in emotional and cognitive responses that is more self-protective, can boost our self-esteem and numb uncomfortable reminders of our mortality. - Examples: Thinking about religious explanations of our being Focusing on our societal contributions/legacies  SELF-DISCREPANCY THEORY Self-esteem is defined by the match — or mismatch — between what we are (actual self) and how we like to be (ideal self), and how we think we should be (ought self). One’s self-esteem and emotional well-being can be predicted by examining the discrepancy between one’s “actual self” and one’s “self-guides” (desired self states that have motivational implications).  SELF-DISCREPANCY THEORY Self-esteem depends on a number of factors: Amount of discrepancy between actual self and self- guide. The importance of the discrepancy to the self. The extent to which one focuses on one’s self- discrepancies. Large self-discrepancies are associated with negative emotional states Discrepancies are related to feelings of disappointment, depression, shame, guilt etc. These emotional effects depend on the amount of discrepancy and whether we are consciously focused on it.  SELF-ESTEEM: EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL Internally motivated actions tend to be more impactful and lasting than externally motivated ones. The use of self-affirmations to manage one’s self-esteem is likened to pursuing the internal locus of control. Self-affirmations pertain to expressions of positivity towards the self.  SELF-AFFIRMATION They are described in the following statements: 1. They start with “I am” 2. They are positive. The use of the word “NOT” is avoided. 3. They are short. 4. They are specific. 5. They are in a present tense. 6. They have a feeling word in them. 7. They are about yourself.  SELF-AWARENESS THEORY We are not usually self-focused; however, certain situations may cause us to become objects of our own attention. When we become more self-aware, we naturally begin to compare behavior with some standard. This comparison often results in a negative discrepancy and a temporary reduction in self-esteem.  SELF-AWARENESS THEORY Some individuals are more self-focused than others. People can high in private self- either be consciousness or high in public self-consciousness. Implication: A privately self- conscious person listens to an inner voice and tries to reduce discrepancies relative to one’s standards; a publicly self-conscious person matches his/her behavior to socially accepted norms. HOW SELF-CONSCIOUS ARE YOU? REVOLVING IMAGES OF SELF  SELF-REGULATION THEORY Self-regulation is the process by which we seek to control or alter our thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and urges. Is self-control a limited resource that can temporarily be depleted by usage? Self-regulation fatigue & self-affirmation  SELF-ENHANCEMENT THEORY How does the average person cope with his or her faults, inadequacies, and uncertain future? We often exhibit implicit egotism, a tendency to hold ourselves in high regard. What methods do we use to rationalize or otherwise enhance our self-esteem?  FOUR WAYS OF PROTECTING SELF-ESTEEM Self-serving cognitions Self-handicapping and sandbagging Basking in reflected glory Downward social comparison  LESSON EXAM Create a comic strip on any of the following topics (choose one):  Terror Management Theory  Self-Discrepancy Theory  Locus of Control Theory  Self-Regulation  Self-enhancement measures ASSIGNMENT Prepare for UE2