Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Contributors
- SECTION ONE THE FRAME
- SECTION TWO CONCEPTUAL AND METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES
- 3 Theorizing the Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Identity
- 4 Measuring Self-Esteem: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Considered
- 5 The Self as a Social Force
- 6 Self-Certainty and Self-Esteem
- SECTION THREE SOCIAL AND LIFE COURSE CONTEXTS OF SELF-ESTEEM
- SECTION FOUR SELF-ESTEEM AND SOCIAL INEQUALITIES
- SECTION FIVE SELF-ESTEEM AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS
- Index
4 - Measuring Self-Esteem: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Considered
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 November 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Contributors
- SECTION ONE THE FRAME
- SECTION TWO CONCEPTUAL AND METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES
- 3 Theorizing the Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Identity
- 4 Measuring Self-Esteem: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Considered
- 5 The Self as a Social Force
- 6 Self-Certainty and Self-Esteem
- SECTION THREE SOCIAL AND LIFE COURSE CONTEXTS OF SELF-ESTEEM
- SECTION FOUR SELF-ESTEEM AND SOCIAL INEQUALITIES
- SECTION FIVE SELF-ESTEEM AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS
- Index
Summary
INTRODUCTION
This chapter examines the conceptualization and structure of global self-esteem (hereafter SE): that is, SE not tied to any particular societal context, personal attribute, social activity, or role (e.g., spouse and blues guitarist, physical appearance and intelligence, or school and work, respectively). Although there are several possible approaches to conceptualizing SE, we focus our examination on SE as an attitude people take toward their self à la Rokeach's (1968) widely accepted definition of attitude. Even though a multitude of SE measures exist (see Blascovich & Tomaka, 1991; Wylie, 1979), we limit our comments and analyses primarily to Rosenberg's (1965) oft cited and employed SE construct. We focus on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (hereafter RSES) because of its preeminence among social scientists and other students of SE.
Our chapter has three specific, though interrelated, goals: a clarification, an expansion, and an analysis of the meaning, measurement, and structure of global SE. Our clarification revolves around three chief aims. First, we explore in detail how Rosenberg (1965) actually conceptualized SE. Oddly, despite a plethora of ink devoted each year to the topic, this has not been thoroughly addressed. As we shall show, a careful look at Rosenberg's original Guttman scaling instructions for SE reveals a rather surprising and counterintuitive idea of what it means to be a high SE person. Second, we hope to bring terminological unity and clarity to some SE terms and offer corrections for some past imprecision.
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- Chapter
- Information
- Extending Self-Esteem Theory and ResearchSociological and Psychological Currents, pp. 56 - 84Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2001
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