W H AT IS S E L F- E ST E E M ?
HOW DO WE UNDERSTAND SELF-ESTEEM FROM A PSYCHOLOGICAL VIEWPOINT? The modern self-esteem movement was led by the American clinical psychologists William James, Alfred Adler, Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers. William James stated that self-esteem can be increased by achieving greater success and maintained by avoiding failures. He also thought that self-esteem could be increased by adopting less ambitious goals and through being linked to people of higher status. He suggested that what matters is whether our successes are relevant to our goals. There is some truth in that theory, but if we start with largely unachievable and concrete goals, we will become inflexible and perfectionist. Our goals may not be achievable and we will inevitably become discouraged. Goals – even if they stretch us – must be achievable and flexible to be realistically met within the bounds of our gifts, abilities and circumstances. It’s when we repeatedly fail to meet our goals that our self-esteem reduces. Alice, an A-level drama student, has set herself a goal of winning an Oscar within four years. She believes with all her heart that she is a talented actress, and she certainly has potential. Both her youth theatre successes and her A-level tutor emphasise that talent. But Alice’s goal may be better adjusted in terms of getting into drama school. When she achieves a coveted place her self-esteem will be topped up. Missing out on an Oscar before she even finishes the course would only see her self-esteem drain away with her dreams. 19
Waverley Abbey Insight Series_Reprint2011_Self Esteem_internals.indd 19
24/5/11 09:40:38