Self-Concept vs. Self-Esteem Two Theories

Self-Concept vs. Self-Esteem

Two Theories

Outside Circumstances?

Real Definitions?

Inside Out

Gaps

Win... Lose or Tie?

Self-Concept vs. Self-Esteem

Two Theories

Outside Circumstances?

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.

Epictetus (a.D. c. 50-c. 138)

A person not only possesses the ability - it is his/her duty to mold his/her character to try to attain self-rule and personal independence of outside circumstances." (Blackburn, 1996) Although Epictetus, a prominent teacher of Stoicism in the past, did not specifically express his thoughts with these words, the introductory quote prior to this statement, on the other hand, does directly disclose words he expressed and reflects concepts related to self-verification theory, one of the two theories compared in this paper.

Self-verification theory posits that individuals are basically motivated to maintain consistent beliefs about themselves, even when the beliefs are negative. Diametrically opposite of self-verification theories, self-enhancement theories propose that individuals are mainly motivated to sustain a high self-esteem. Self-esteem, a person's evaluation of his/her self-concept, does not depend on outside circumstances, and whereas, self-concept, the "theory" an individual constructs about him/her self-through social interaction is contingent on outside circumstances. Self-enhancement theorists contend a person with low self-esteem will seek out a positive social evaluation because this bolsters his/her self-esteem. In contrast, self-verification theorists argue that positive feedback nurtures the fear inside a person with low self-esteem people that he/she may not know him/her self, so consequently, he/she rejects affirmative feedback. Throughout time, ongoing debates regarding self-enhancement and self-verifications theories, just as debates regarding self-esteem and self-concept, have regularly erupted in the past and continue to "rumble" today.

Real" Definitions?

King (1997) notes that a great deal of confusion exists in regard to self-concept and self-esteem; that varying definitions exist for each term and that a clear demarcation between these two words needs to be made. Some argue self-concept and self-esteem are diametrically different, while at other times the terms self-concept and self-esteem are used interchangeably. Self-esteem, according to some experts and writers, mirrors.".. The difference between the ideal self... And the actual self... An individual with substantial distance between the actual self and ideal self will develop a negative perception of self (low self-esteem), while an individual with modest distance between the actual self and ideal self will develop a more positive perception of self (high self-esteem)." (King, 1997) Self-concept is deemed to be a person's perception(s) of him/her self in regard to various roles and personal attributes the individual plays of fulfills and is neither negative nor positive. Self-esteem reflects one's evaluation of his/her self-concept's depiction, as well as dissatisfaction or satisfaction with it. Self-concept, for example,.".. would refer to the perception of being tall, whereas self-esteem would refer to one's feelings about being tall (happy vs. unhappy)."

II. Inside Out Just as an individual may self-perpetuate and/or exacerbate his/her condition when he/she views their surroundings as a threat, hostile and/or unfriendly (Sexton, 2002), he/she may improve his/her condition when he/she perceives their circumstances to be reassuring, supportive, and/or friendly. This self-perpetuation, considered a form of self-verification is defined as a person's use of "a variety of techniques to validate their self-views." (Ibid) the self-verification approach assumes an individual is motivated to minimize biased uncertainty about his/her self-concept and social status. Self-verification does not require an individual's self-views to conform to any constraints, nor does it require any change in self-conception. (Ibid.) the study completed by Escovar (2003) reports fairly less consistent self-enhancement results as.".. participants in the feedback condition did report a significantly greater sense of self-verification and self-efficacy/self-discovery than participants in the control condition... (and) also scored higher on self-esteem and self-liking." When individuals are provided information about themselves... assessment feedback, this can result in an individual experiencing positive feelings about him/her self. The study by Stukas (2006) determines that interpersonal feedback reactions by individuals may vary, depending on feedback and its source, but that the self-verification theory contends that individuals are.".. likely to reject self-inconsistent feedback such feedback."

Gaps

Self-enhancement, numerous theoreticians contend may lend to an individual becoming disillusioned when they discover gaps exist between an individual's enhanced self-evaluation and his/her actual abilities.

Self-enhancement, Eshel (1998) suggests, may contribute to an individual being maladjusted. As Eshel (Ibid) compares self-evaluations with external criteria to examine self-enhancement, he determines that.".. The present model implies that individuals hold different, and sometimes contradictory, information concerning the self."

Success over pretensions equals self-esteem." Albrecht (Ibid) cites that William James (1890) formulated the "simple" equation. Self-esteem, according to some psychologists qualifies as an answer for numerous individual and societal concerns. Regarding this contention and accumulated self-esteem research, Roy Baumeister, psychologist and professor, commissioned to survey American Psychological Society literature on self-esteem, determines: "These studies show not only that self-esteem fails to accomplish what we had hoped, but also that it can backfire and contribute to some of the very problems it was thought to thwart." He contends that self-esteem stems from, does not cause, of good schoolwork. Enhancing self-esteem is therefore a waste of time in the pursuit of health and well-being, Baumeister writes. ("Self-Esteem Causes..., 2006)

Alana Conner Snibbe, the Review's senior editor noted that Baumeister's article titled, "Rethinking Self-Esteem: Why Nonprofits Should Stop Pushing Self-Esteem and Start Endorsing Self-Control,'" triggered heated controversy among Stanford Social Innovation Review readers. Some agreed that self-esteem "hype" needed to be deflated, while an equal amount of responses strongly disagreed. Baumeister, nevertheless, continues to argue that self-control, not sell-esteem currently promises to be the most promising human strength. (Ibid)

Self-esteem, noted by Cast (2002), to be a primary focus for social psychology, routinely conceptualized as a part of the self-concept, is considered by some to be one of the self-concept's most vital components. Cast (Ibid) suggests that self-verification contributes to the motivation or organization of a person's behavior. Self-esteem also factors into the process. Cast (Ibid) also stresses that self-esteem does not merely stem from self-verification. Self-esteem garnered by self-verification.".. serves an important protective function for the self by directly and indirectly reducing the amount of stress individuals experience when they are unable to verify important self-meanings."

Material/Situational Model of Self-Esteem

Steffenhagen (1990, pp.16-17) explains that the mental format points of the triangle include: status, courage, and social flexibility. Points of the triangle superimposed over this triangle consist of self-concept, self-image, and social-concept. This "Star of David" serves as a.".." functional model for evaluating self-esteem quantitatively."

III. Win...Lose or Tie?

Of the two concepts, this researcher posits, self-enhancement theories, when compared to self-verification theories, are in a sense, to a point in particular situations, correct. Self-verification theories, on the other hand, in varying circumstances, appear to be even more correct. Benefits which stem from self-verification do not require interventions generated from outside a person. (Swann, 2002) Self-verification could perhaps be aptly mirrored by paraphrasing this paper's initial quote by Epictetus (Ibid): Tell yourself on the inside."...what you would be; and then do (on the outside) what you have to do."