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The Costly Pursuit of Self-Esteem

Crocker, Jennifer, Park, Lora E.·2004·Psychological Bulletin

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Abstract

Researchers have recently questioned the benefits associated with having high self-esteem. The authors propose that the importance of self-esteem lies more in how people strive for it rather than whether it is high or low. They argue that in domains in which their self-worth is invested, people adopt the goal to validate their abilities and qualities, and hence their self-worth. When people have self-validation goals, they react to threats in these domains in ways that undermine learning; relatedness; autonomy and self-regulation; and over time, mental and physical health. The short-term emotional benefits of pursuing self-esteem are often outweighed by long-term costs. Previous research on self-esteem is reinterpreted in terms of self-esteem striving. Cultural roots of the pursuit of self-esteem are considered. Finally, the alternatives to pursuing self-esteem, and ways of avoiding its costs, are discussed.

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“Low self-esteem is an aversive state that people attempt to alter (Crocker and Park, 2004).”
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“Similarly, people whose self-esteem is based on their own competencies may be very vulnerable toward failure or lack of success in the domain in which they have invested their self-worth (Crocker & Park, 2004; Crocker & Wolfe, 2001; Deci & Ryan, 1995).”
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“The scientific literature makes a distinction between trait self-esteem (one’s global level of self-esteem), and state self-esteem (momentary fluctuations in one’s level of self-esteem; Crocker & Park, 2004; De Ruiter et al., 2017).”
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“Self-worth becomes critical for self-esteem and mental well-being (Crocker and Park 2004).”
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“When consumers are unable to experience psychological ful ﬁ llment in service encounters, they will actively seek external stimulation (changes) as a buffering strategy in pursuit of immediate psychological grati ﬁ cation (Crocker and Park 2004).”
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“By contrast, when people affirm their selfattributes—their lovability (ability to elicit care and affection) or intellectual or physical ability—they strengthen self-worth goals and weaken learning goals (Crocker & Park, 2004).”
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Crocker, J., Lee, S. J., & Park, L. E. (2004) · Deep Blue (University of Michigan) · Cited by 24
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“For example, in seeking to increase overall levels of self-esteem, imposing artificial boosts to self-esteem may be more detrimental than beneficial (Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger, & Vohs, 2003; Crocker & Park, 2004).”
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“Since the time of William James (1890/1981), a vast literature in psychology has documented that the pursuit of self-esteem is a deep human need and a great deal of time and money are devoted to pursuing it (see Crocker and Park (2004) for a review of this literature).”
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Authors: Crocker, J., & Park, L. E.
Affiliations: University of Michigan (US)
ORCID: Crocker, Jennifer
Park, Lora E.
Venue: Psychological Bulletin
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 2004-05
Volume: 130
Issue: 3
Pages: 392-414
ISSN: 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
1939-1455
DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.130.3.392
OpenAlex: W2139936398
Semantic Scholar: 924706e15f8baf8a3f9cec05a301a422a2f47c1f
Cited by: 1,402
References: 305
Citations by year: 2026: 41 · 2025: 55 · 2024: 70 · 2023: 69 · 2022: 78 · 2021: 79 · 2020: 59 · 2019: 72 · 2018: 78 · 2017: 70 · 2016: 73 · 2015: 68 · 2014: 75 · 2013: 83 · 2012: 62
FWCI: 5.49
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: National Institutes of Health (1k02mh001747-01a1)
National Institute of Mental Health (K02 MH01747-01, R01 MH5886901)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
Keywords: self-esteem, self-worth, learning, relatedness, autonomy, self-regulation, mental health, physical health
MeSH terms: Culture, Emotions, Goals, Humans, Internal-External Control, Interpersonal Relations, Motivation, Self Concept, Social Behavior, Social Perception, Time

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The Costly Pursuit of Self-Esteem

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