Self-Esteem

            Self-esteem is defined as how the way people evaluate themselves by comparing to others. The earliest theories told that self-esteem is either a basic need or motivation for humans, because they know well who they are and who they are like. Abraham Maslow, American psychologist, in Wikipedia.org states two different forms of esteem: the need for respect from others and the need for self-respect or inner self-esteem. Both of them are the reason why people have self-esteem. Respect from others is the prominent reason of the most people generally. If people get high respect, they will be difficult to be ignored, ridiculed or teased. The need for either self-respect or inner self-esteem is the next reason because people always want to be better than others. In this case, there are two types of self esteem that people have: high self-esteem and low self-esteem. Self-esteem gives people advantages and disadvantages in life.

            Self-esteem provides some advantages for people who can face self-esteem well in positive evaluation, especially people with high self-esteem. The advantages are influencing achievement and either serving a protective function or reducing anxiety about life and death. First, achievement can be influenced by self-esteem.  According to Wikipedia.org Hagger (1998) explains that as a social psychological construct, self-esteem is attractive because researchers have conceptualized it as an influential predictor of relevant outcomes, such as academic achievement or exercise behaviour. For example, students who have high self esteem will raise their hand for asking or answering questions more regularly than students with low self-esteem. Indirectly, they know well how far their ability, whether they do better or worse than their classmates. Second, according to Terror Management Theory in Wikipedia.org , self-esteem serves a protective function and reduces anxiety about life and death. This advantage can be felt by people with high self-esteem also. People in that category always face everything with positive way. They hardly ever feel worried and afraid when socializing with others. Positive thinking becomes the tenet that they hold rigidly. Therefore they will enjoy their life and lose their anxiety about the death.

            People with low self-esteem will get disadvantages more than people with high self-esteem. The disadvantages are leading to either dissatisfaction or frustration and having pessimism and a general negative outlook. First, dissatisfaction and frustration happen when people feel worse than others and when they cannot reach what people with high self-esteem do. They will be satisfied, angry, and blame themselves. Additionally, people with high self-esteem will be more forgiving than people with low self-esteem. For being better than others, people will do everything even if the harmful things. People have done liposuction and plastic surgery to contribute their appearance. Most of them think that appearance is the most important need to get high self-esteem. Second, low self-esteem correlates with pessimism and general negative outlook. Pessimism is when people tend to keep silent rather than showing their competence because they cannot avoid fear and anxiety and do not have high self-confidence. The Centre for Clinical Interventions in Wikipedia.org describes people with low self-esteem as having “deep-seated, basic, negative beliefs about themselves and the kind of person they are. These beliefs are often taken as facts or truths about their identity.” People with low self-esteem cannot minimize their negative either thinking or belief about themselves from their inner voice. Sometimes, inner voice tells the truth of someone’s identity that gives more pressure and depression.

            In conclusion, self esteem can be categorized by two types: low self-esteem and high self-esteem. Both of them change ways of thinking and view that people have then they realize it whether into positive or negative respons. Self-esteem depends on how favourable people evaluate themselves from others and how people face their ambition from the inner voice.

References :

1.     “Self-Esteem.” Wikipedia Online. 24 Nov. 2002. Web. 10 Apr. 2015.             <http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-esteem>

2.     “Self-Esteem functions.” Wikipedia Online. 12 Jan. 2010. Web. 10 Apr. 2015.             http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-esteem_functions

3.     “Self-Esteem Instability.” Wikipedia Online.  <http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-            esteem_instability>

4.     “Self-Esteem.” CMHC UT Counseling and Menthal Health Center DIVISION OF             Student Affairs. Texas. Un. UT Counseling and Menthal Health Center, n.d.             Web. 10 Apr. 2015. <http://cmhc.utexas.edu/selfesteem.html>

5.     “How to Develop Self-Esteem.” WikiHow.com. Wiki, n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2015.             <http://m.wikihow.com/Develop-Self‐Esteem>

6.     Maslow, A. H. (1987). Motivation and Personality (Third ed.). New York: Harper &          Row. ISBN 0-06-041987-3.