Self-Esteem Flashcards
What is global self-esteem?
an average tone of self-feeling which is independent of the objective reasons we may have for satisfaction and discontent
What is James’s formula for self-esteem?
successes/pretentions
What are Higgins (1987) domains of the self?
actual self; what you currently are
ideal self; how you aspire to be
ought self; how you should be (morals/society)
What can be caused by an actual-ought discrepancy?
Strauman et al. (1993)
more anxious responses
higher cortisol levels
lower natural killer cell activity
What can be caused by an actual-ideal discrepancy?
Strauman et al. (1993)
more dysphoric responses
lower natural killer cell activity
What do people with high self-esteem do?
associate positive words with the self more quickly
associate negative words with the self more slowly
greater liking of letters in their name
greater liking of numbers in their birthday
What is the traditional view of high self-esteem?
positive view of the self as worthwhile and valuable
liking oneself and accepting weaknesses
feeling secure about the self
What is the alternative view of high self-esteem?
promoting the self as better than others
denying threats to positive self image
What is the traditional view of low self-esteem?
negative view of the self as worthless
self-loathing and insecurity
psychological and behavioural problems
What is the best predictor of global self-esteem?
Harter (1999); physical appearance
What are some factors that predict global self-esteem?
physical appearance, athletic competence, social acceptance mediated by peer support
scholastic competence, behavioural conduct mediated by parental support
domain-specific evaluations moderated by personal importance
What are some self-enhancing strategies?
self-serving bias upward/downward comparisons better than average effects basking in reflected glory prejudice self-promotion self-protection
How are self-enhancers viewed compared to non-self-enhancers?
self-enhancers; fluctuating moods, guileful, deceitful, distrustful, condescending, self-pitying, hostile
non-self-enhancers; cheerful, forthright, dependable, interesting liked, sympathetic
What is the difference between Asian and American self-enhancement?
Asians tend to show more self-criticism and lower self esteem than Americans
How is self-esteem socially constructed?
depending on the social value of particular domains and social comparison standards
Which study supports the cultural aspect of self-enhancement?
Japanese undergraduates tended to make self-effacing attributions rather than self-serving biases
What did Cai et al.’s (2011) study about modesty in Chinese culture show?
1 & 2; self-rated modesty in China negatively correlated with explicit self-esteem and positively correlated with implicit self-esteem in China and the US
3; after describing themselves modestly, Chinese participants showed increased implicit self-esteem, and after describing themselves immodestly, showed decreased implicit self-esteem
What is the influence of genes/environment on self-esteem?
genetic influences are substantial
shared environment has minimal effect
non-shared environment shows the largest effect
genetic predispositions in particular domains e.g. appearance
How can self-esteem act as an anxiety buffer?
Greenberg et al (1992)
participants who received a positive self-esteem manipulation were subsequently less anxious after a threat manipulation than those in the neutral condition
What is terror management theory?
Pyszczynski (1997)
people are aware of their own mortality, anxiety buffer avoids the terror of death
understanding one’s place in the world, attaining a sense of personal value and self-esteem act as the buffer
What are some negative outcomes of low self-esteem?
Trzesniewski et al. (2006) poorer mental and physical health worse job prospects criminal behaviour depression
What can reminders of morality lead to?
Pyszczynski (1997)
increased self-esteem strivings
defence of one’s cultural world-view
How can self-esteem affect terror management?
high self-esteem reduces the effects of morality reminders
high self-esteem reduces death-thought accessibility
What is dysphoria?
a profound state of generalised life dissatisfaction
What is sociometer theory?
Leary & Baumeister (2000)
self-esteem is a function of social relationships
monitors interpersonal relationship quality
motivates behaviour to maintain a minimum level of acceptance
What evidence is there for sociometer theory?
state self-esteem fluctuates with inclusion and exclusion
trait self-esteem correlates with perceived appreciation and devaluation
public events affect self-esteem more than private ones
self-esteem dimensions reflect attributes relevant to being valued as a social partner
What are positive illusions?
Taylor & Brown (1988)
unrealistically positive views of the self
exaggerated perceptions of personal control
unrealistic optimism
Who doesn’t experience positive illusions?
depressed patients and people with low self-esteem
What can positive illusions promote?
happiness/contentment
ability to care for others
creativity/productivity
What are some critiques of positive illusions theory?
Colvin & Bock (1994)
research tests limited groups of uni students
illusions are being determined by subjective researchers
are depressives more accurate or more negative?
How did Taylor and Brown defend their theory?
not all illusions are good illusions are not better than reality illusions are not a cure for illness illusions are not necessary for mental health the human mind can detect reality
How does self-esteem relate to aggression?
Kernis et al. (1989)
self-esteem stability moderates the relationship
high hostility relates to unstable, high self-esteem
low hostility relates to stable, high self-esteem
What evidence is there that self-esteem can influence violent behaviour?
violent people frequently have favourable views of themselves
violence is intended to show superiority
violence can follow a threat to self-esteem
What is narcissism?
extreme/ultra-high levels of self-esteem unstable high self-esteem strong motive for self-aggrandisement disregard to others sensitivity to ego-threats
How does narcissism relate to aggression?
Bushman & Baumeister (1998) experiment; pro-choice/pro-life essays manipulation; positive/negative feedback measurement; aggressive use of noise gun more aggression from; males than females participants with higher narcissism scores participants who received an ego-threat (negative feedback)
How do Baumeister et al. (2000) disprove the low self-esteem theory?
there is no substantial evidence
individuals with low self-esteem often submit to influence, are shy and risk/loss averse
aggression is usually associated with resisting or rejecting external influence
What is threatened-egotism theory?
aggression is used as a means of defending a highly favourable view of the self
