A new study of studies put out by Scientific American suggests that there’s really no reason to believe things we’ve been taught for years about self-esteem. It’s a fairly long, but interesting, read. Exploding the Self-Esteem Myth spent two years pouring over studies and finding that high self-esteem doesn’t seem to correllate with success (academic or otherwise), nor does low self-esteem seem to have terribly many adverse effects. The exceptions are that those with high self-esteem tend to be happier than those with low.
Another interesting point brought up: it might be that those with high self-esteem just tend to be more positive and thus more prone to rate things more highly.
We’ve been hearing for YEARS about how important it is to raise self-esteem… turns out that it might not be so important after all.
Who knew?
[Via Kristin.]
There may not be any direct correlation, but it just makes sense that someone who has high self-esteem, and is happier because of it, would be more prone to spread that love and happiness to others. They, in turn, help each other out, helping each other become more successful.
Seems like you’re falling into the liberal trap of wanting something to be true.
They found no appreciable correllation between self-esteem and success, and while it does “make sense” that someone with high self-esteem would be happier, they couldn’t really determine if high self-esteem caused happiness… or vice versa. Also, judging from the article, I’d guess that you’d have a fairly difficult time trying to make the case that self-esteem is contagious.
…just because something is intuitive doesn’t make it correct.
I don’t really care whether there’s any correlation between happiness and self-esteem at all. If that’s true, then through the thought of utilitarianism it promotes the belief that self-worth is one end to life through its correlation with overall happiness.
I believe that my love of others causes them happiness, and in the process will cause me happiness. This does not imply I have low self-esteem, but rather that I consider my self-worth unimportant. And I do believe that there is a correlation between helping others and one’s own happiness.
Eh… now you’re really a good deal way from where the article went.
My point is: we’ve believed for lord only knows how long that high self-esteem makes people more successful, less likely to do stupid things, etc… but nobody has really ever thought to challenge the notion and we as a society have invested so much into artificially inflating people’s self-esteem… all for what? Apparently nothing, if you believe the 200 studies that have been done on the matter.
merry christmas pete
self esteem is probably causally backwards
I think success creates self esteem… not the other way around
of course I have no proof, just my opinion
p.s. good luck as your apps come in… also, I still have some law primers that are yours if you want them
… they’re pretty good stuff, the torts one was even on the syllabus as rec. reading; they are basically the E&E series and some gilbert’s/emanuel’s outlines… consider them a christmas present
Merry Christmas, Pete! See ya in Nashville.
Self-esteem is a bunch of bunk? In other breaking news, Neil Armstrong walks on the moon, Tommy Tuberville is an assclown, and the Germans bomb Pearl Harbor.