Etiquette: Research on Self Esteem-

Etiquette: Research on Self Esteem-: "Research on self esteem- While clinical and experimental studies have taught us a great deal about nature of self image, I find less informa..."

Research on Self Esteem-

Research on self esteem- While clinical and experimental studies have taught us a great deal about nature of self image, I find less information has been available regarding the broader social experiences which contribute to its formation.

Convinced of the importance of these experiences, I have spoken to several hundred young women, understanding how they see themselves. I have explored the broader social environment as well as the narrower world of the family contributes to the shaping of the adolescents self-esteem.

Intended to enrich our understanding of self -esteem as a social force.

I have attempted to explore the effect of self-esteem on perhaps the most fundamental of all social phenomena and social integration.

The identifying feature of implicit cognition is that past experience influences judgment in a fashion not introspectively known by the actor.

My conclusion that attitudes, of self-esteem, and stereotypes have important implicit modes of operation extends both the construct of validity and predictive usefulness of these major theoretical constructs of social psychology. Methodologically, this calls for increased use of indirect measure-which are imperative in all studies of implicit cognition.

The theorised ordinariness of implicit stereotyping is consistent with recent findings of discrimination by people who explicit dis-vow prejudices.

Susie Wilson

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Healthy-Self Esteem 

Convinced of the importance of these experiences, I have spoken to several hundred young women, understanding how they see themselves. I have explored the broader social environment as well as the narrower world of the family contributes to the shaping of the adolescents self-esteem.

Unhealthy self-esteem can worm its way into every facet of your life. Sometimes, many of your problems may be tied to unhealthy self-esteem and you don't even know it.

 People with unhealthy self-esteem tend to be pessimistic and then push that pessimistic view on the world. If you are a pessimistic person, this affects the way you see yourself moving and working in the world.
People with unhealthy self-esteem also often display anger toward others inappropriately. If you are filled with rage and anger, you have a hard time controlling it and a harder time still of knowing where to focus that anger. Tied to this anger, people with unhealthy self-esteem also become aggressive for no apparent reason. The smallest remarks or criticism can send them into a tirade. They begin to blame others for their lot in life and refuse to accept responsibility for their own actions and the consequences. They tend to have very little compassion for their own lives, and thus, they have very little compassion for others. If they have nothing to live for, they can't see that other people do.

Ironically, it has even been suggested that people with unhealthy self-esteem tend to be more promiscuous and participate in unhealthy sexual behavior at a greater rate than those with healthy self-esteem.

More Bad News Following are further examples of how unhealthy self-esteem affects people from every walk of life. People with low self-esteem tend to:

Pressure people and become overbearing.

Be devastated by simple mistakes.

Have few resources.

Provoke domestic and social violence.

Concentrate on their failures, weaknesses, and setbacks.

Put themselves down either in a joking fashion or seriously.
 It is interesting to note that people with unhealthy self-esteem are prone to engage in obsessive activities such as overeating, overdrinking, or binge drinking. They tend to develop addictions to legal and illegal mood-altering substances at a greater rate than people with healthy self-esteem.

Perhaps this phenomenon has something to do with searching for peace outside the body. When you feel that you have no control over what is happening in your mind and soul, you try other outlets to ease the pain and erase the hurt.

 Does unhealthy self-esteem cause drug addiction and alcoholism? There is no proof of this and the answer is probably no, but when you are in pain, you search for what brings relief. You search for what helps you forget. You search for what helps you escape. Once again, the beast of unhealthy self-esteem has ramifications that reach further than most people care to admit.

As you can see, poor self-esteem left unattended can have devastating and far-reaching effects on the person who suffers and the society in which they live. Can possessing a healthy self-esteem erase all of the bad things that happen in your life and all of the negative aspects of your personality? No. But left unattended, unhealthy, low self-esteem can take over your life as quickly and completely as weeds in a garden.

Recognising Unhealthy Self-Esteem

The beast of unhealthy self-esteem wanders into your life at the time and place of its choosing. It sometimes masks itself as depression, fear, anxiety, or feelings of utter worthlessness. The beast knows no boundaries and has a mind all its own. It is relentless unless you learn how to recognise its approach, distinguish its footsteps on your porch, and deny its entrance into your life.

There are those who think that people who suffer with self-esteem issues are introverts who never leave home; individuals who are submissive and oppressed; or people who fail at family, career, and friendships; and people who are always involved in self-destructive, self-sabotaging activities. This simply is not true. Granted, a lack of self-esteem certainly causes many people to be introverted or have poor relationships, but generally speaking, the downtrodden are not the only people who have self-esteem issues. People with self-esteem issues come from every walk of life; they are lawyers, auto mechanics, hospitality professionals, teachers, swimmers, construction workers, and investment brokers.

What is self-sabotage?

Self-sabotage is consciously or unconsciously doing things to obstruct your success. This includes lying, cheating, closing off your emotions, attacking others, refusing to participate in activities, and procrastinating.
Research shows that people spend less than thirty hours over their entire lifetime thinking about and researching their career choices. If you begin work at twenty years of age, work forty hours per week, and retire at sixty-five, you will have worked 93,600 hours in a job that may not have been your calling.

Nothing, unfortunately, lasts forever, self-esteem included. Without working to keep up habits that reinforce a healthy self-esteem, you're likely to end up back where you started. Once acquired, self-esteem is not a permanent, everlasting thing. It must be nurtured, guided, fine-tuned, and revisited frequently. Your self-esteem should be treated as an infant child — watched carefully, loved much, but also given enough room to flourish.

As discussed throughout the book, there are countless influences on your self-esteem. From your parents to your friends to your colleagues to strangers to your field of work to your innate desires, the influences come in every shape, size, and origin. It takes a strong person to fight the urges of negative self-talk, negative and unsupportive people, and critics who would use the power of words and office to condemn you at every turn. However, you now know that you have the authority to make your self-esteem decisions for yourself. You know that you have the power to sustain positive feeling about your life.

Only Champagne and Caviar

Yes, you've had moments that you would just as soon never remember. You've had to pick yourself up and brush yourself off more times that you care to imagine. But, you did it. You made it. You're standing.

Today is the day that you will make choices that will affect the remaining days of your life. Today is the day that you are going to stand up and demand freedom from the past, demand freedom from all that has been negative and unfulfilling in your life, and demand that your soul be allowed to explore and expand.

You are going to demand this from yourself. 

You are going to stand up to your past and say, “No more.”

You are going to stand up to your past and say, “I will not allow you to chain me down ever again.” You are going to stand up and say, “I have a right to be happy, I have a right to feel good about myself, and I have a right to feel joy and pleasure in my life.”

You are the only person on earth who can do this for yourself. You are the only person who can make this happen. You are the only person who can serve yourself the champagne and caviar that you deserve. If you leave it up to others, you'll only get warm water and Cracker Jacks. You deserve more.

Standing Up

The previous chapters have shown you how to stand up and take control of your self-esteem and your life. Standing up means that you may have to readjust your stance, find new shoes, and walk more carefully this time around. Standing up means that you have made the decision to be equal in the world and not allow anyone to take that equality from you. Standing up means that you are now ready to walk forward.

By standing up, you are now ready to ask yourself, “What are my possibilities?” “What great things are in my future?” “What path will I take that will lead me to myself?” “What goodness can I do for others?” These questions would not have been possible with unhealthy self-esteem.

By standing up, you are ready to walk toward a life of service, a life of your own choosing, and a life of healthier choices. By standing up, you are ready to face the challenges that might have crippled you before.

Strategies for Life-Long Improvement

As you read through this chapter, you will be reminded of tips and strategies for looking ahead while working toward healthier self-esteem. You will not be able to work on every tip every day, but it is suggested that you return to this chapter anytime you feel weak, down, challenged, threatened, sad, or confused by the events of life.
Healthy self-esteem is a lifelong challenge and everyone needs help along the way. Let these strategies be your guiding voice.