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The influence of self-esteem on self perception
The influence of self-esteem on self perception
Theoretical review of self - esteem
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Self-Defeating Humor and Self-Esteem Self-concept is an individual’s compilation of feelings, self-perception, and an idea of the basis of human personality. Self-esteem, usually identified in a positive approach, is the concept of one’s confidence in abilities and self worth, and the idea of self-respect. Self-evaluative standards evidently have a vital role in shaping future emotions and subsequent behaviors (Kuiper & McHale, 2009; 143.4: 359-76). According to Abraham Maslow’s Theory of Self-Actualization, self-esteem, notably confidence in oneself, respect for and by others, is achieved after physiological needs, safety needs, and love and belonging needs. Self-esteem, then, is combination of several characteristics, which result in a physiological …show more content…
Heavy self-criticism, envy and a pessimistic attitude follow (Kirsh, 2005). Three states of self-esteem are identified: Strong self-esteem is when they have a positive self-image and are secure enough to make decisions and remain unaffected by any adverse scenario that would cause detrimental effects. Vulnerable self-esteem is when there is a positive self-image yet their ability to maintain it is not reliable. People with a vulnerable self-esteem avoid making decisions, blame others when situations were to turn sour to protect their own reputation. People who do not regard themselves as admirable or valuable, defeated and immerse in self-pity, define shattered self-esteem. Shattered self-esteem is undoubtedly related to low self-esteem …show more content…
Psychological well-being is dependent on an individual’s ability to validate oneself by evaluation through comparison of set standards. These standards are usually normative by expected values expressed in their community (Kuiper & McHale, 2009). Using maladaptive styles of humor at the expense of one’s own psychological well-being, namely self-defeating humor, can then be understood as a means of expressing the perception that one does not live up to the norms. Keeping in mind that this humor may seem light and in good faith to the listeners, the teller may question, “Are they laughing with me, or are they laughing at me?” To address this question, it is important to note that individuals using self-defeating humor display an increased level of depression and validate themselves more often of negative self-evaluative standards. This directly results in the individual having a level of self-esteem significantly lower than an individual using adaptive self-enhancing humor. These negative standards held cause firm beliefs, which instigate dependence of one’s own happiness on being social acceptance (Stieger, 2010). If such dependencies manifest, constant use of self-defeating humor results in contingencies about self-worth such as the certainty that the individual is disapproved by and rejected by others. This results in a vicious cycle: Self-injurious humor sends the
Self-esteem is confidence in one’s own worth or abilities or self-respect. Janie from Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston and Jefferson from A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines both struggle with establishing a positive self-esteem or a sense of self-worth. Both characters get so overwhelmed by the supremacy of someone or something around them that they doubt their own power, thus, creating a feeling of doubt for themselves and the voice that they have. In order to gain a sense of high self-esteem, a person must endure points of self-doubt.
“The practical disengagement of humor…helps explain the opposition between amusement and negative emotions.” (530) There are three effects of humor; irresponsibility, blocking compassion, and promoting prejudice. Humor can take away what we are/should be doing in life and sometimes there isn’t anything wrong with that. Sometimes when we hear a hateful thing we just laugh it off as if it was no big deal when it really was. “An
older people imagine clear to a greater degree by their social roles. (Kuhn, 1960). The need for self-esteem plays an important role in psychologist Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which depicts self-esteem as one of the basic human motivations. Maslow suggested that people need both esteem from other people as well as inner self-respect. Both of these needs must be fulfilled in order for an individual to grow as a person and achieve self-actualization.
Grigsby, Channing. “A Course in Self-Esteem: 5. Sources of Low Self-Esteem.” Online Posting. 17 July 2001 <http://www.getnewvisions.com/se/05crse_sources.html>.
Self-concept is a prominent term used not only in humanism, but also in social psychology to explain how a person perceives or thinks about herself. It is simply the image we have about ourselves and is influenced by people we interact with in our lives. It also portrays our ability and our uniqueness and constitutes a collection of qualities, beliefs, behavior, and the nature of an individual. Self-concept ent...
According to Maslow self-actualization was characterized as “the need for personal growth and
Abraham Harold Maslow was a psychologist who tried to explain human needs, with the help of a hierarchy system. At the bottom of the “Needs Pyramid” are the psychological needs, this needs must be fulfilled to get a chance to comply all the other, less necessary, but still important, needs. Maslow said that “Self-Actualization” is on the top of the “Needs Hierarchy” for most people.
“To them, self-esteem is derived from two sources: how a person views her performance in areas in which success is important to her and how a person believes she is perceived by significant others” (Orenstein, 1994, xxii). In other words, if any of these two sources fail to meet her expectation, it would likely damage her self-esteem. As results, low self-esteem can lead to eating disorder, sexual harassment, depression and declining of academic
The second to last level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is esteem. This stage includes having and giving respect, pride, and confidence. This stage is what truly separates humans from all other animals. In our community, I feel respected and have a high sense of value when I am succeeding academically and athletically. When I am doing these two things, my esteem is at an all time high, but when I am not, it’s hard to motivate myself at times. In our society today, esteem is based off mostly material things like money, beauty, and objects, but to truly make yourself happy you must take this one step
In middle childhood, around the age of 7, children start to develop a self – esteem. The development of self -esteem is important because it determines the way a person views ones-self. The Self- esteem formed in middle childhood changes by the time an individual reaches adulthood. There are many longitudinal studies that have been done on the development of self – esteem. One such article is “Cherish Yourself: Longitudinal Patterns and Conditions of Self- Esteem Change in the Transition to Young Adulthood” the researcher wanted to see the change in self –esteem between secondary school and young adulthood, they also wanted to see if gender played a role in the change of self-esteem, this study is explained in the article. In another study, “Self- Esteem Development From Age 14 to 30 Years: A Longitudinal Study,” the researchers studied self –esteem development between the ages of 14 to 30 with a focus on how demographic variable such as gender and ethnicity, the five personality traits; sense of mastery, risk taking, health and income all played a role in self-esteem.
Contingencies of self-worth describe people being selective about the domains on which they base their self-esteem. Three studies were done by E. J. Horberg and Serena Chen at the University of California, Berkley on significant others and contingencies of self –worth. Three studies tested the activation and consequences of contingencies of self-worth associated with specific significant others, that is, relationship-specific contingencies of self-worth. The results showed that activating the mental representation of a significant other with whom one strongly likes or is close to let participants to risk their self-esteem in areas in which the significant other wanted them to excel. This was shown in terms of self-reported contingencies of self-worth (Study 1), in terms of self-worth after receiving feedback on a successful or unsatisfactory performance in a relationship-specific contingency area (Study 2), and in terms of feelings of low self-worth after thinking about a failure in a relationship-specific contingency area (Study 3). Across studies, a variety of contingency areas were examined. Also, Study 3 showed that failing in an activated relationship-specific contingency area had negative implications for current feelings of closeness and acceptance in the significant-other relationship. Overall, the findings suggested that people’s contingencies of self-worth depend on that particular social situation and that performance in relationship-specific contingency areas can influence people’s ideas of their relationships (Holberg & Chen, 2010). Contingencies of self-worth along with self-esteem can have an effect on pursuing one’s goals.
Due to self-depreciating attitudes and beliefs, the individual tends to have a low internal self-esteem. The individual perceives the physical and cultural characteristics identified
Self-esteem is the confidence in one’s own abilities. On the other hand, defensive self-esteem is an individual who is affected by external factors such as the evaluations, and opinions by others around them. These external factors can influence one’s self esteem levels. They can influence it by becoming insecure, narcissistic. It also can display displacement and relational
Insecurity drills a hole into a person’s heart, minimizes their integrity, and accumulates as plaque build up, hindering any kind of future growth. Just as any human being’s growth is stifled by the insecurity within them, the United States as a whole suffers the same from its own tremendous amount of insecurity. This lack of acknowledgement of self-worth causes a ghastly chain reaction; people tend to pursue the wrong ideals, become corrupt, and inevitably lead themselves to their own demise. Insecurity is a route to destruction, and America is speeding down that road to dissolution.
Self-concept can be described as how a person views themselves. There is a variety of factors that impact a person’s self-concept but the biggest impact comes from self-esteem. Self-esteem is much like self-concept the only difference is the addition of emotions. For example say an individual likes a brand they are aware that they enjoy the brand so that’s self-concept. Self-esteem on the other hand, if nobody else in the workplace likes the brand programme individual likes that could have a negative effect on a person’s self-esteem and therefore effect a person’s self-concept. In the workplace self-concept is of the uttermost importance when estab...