Men, Women, and Self Esteem

Overview

Self-esteem fluctuates over time, according to recent findings in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Family relationships, social status and career achievement influence our feelings of personal worth, which can vary depending on our stage of life. Self-esteem generally evolves similarly for men and women across the lifespan, but how we learn to value ourselves as individuals---and what we learn to value---may differ.

Similarities

With greater income and employment status, self-esteem increases for both sexes until age 60. That's according to researchers Ulrich Orth, Ph.D., Kali Trzesniewski, Ph.D. and Richard Robins, Ph.D., whose longitudinal study sampled more than 3,600 participants ranging in age from 25 to 104 years. After age 60, reduced income and declining health contributed to lower self-esteem, a trend that is consistent for both sexes.

Differences

Men have been shown to have higher self-esteem than women for the majority of adult life, according to Orth and colleagues. The study further suggested that social, economic and health factors may contribute to this difference. Self-esteem also differs for men and women, notes Joel Wade, Ph.D., of Bucknell University. His study, which appeared in a 2000 issue of International Journal of Psychology, found that men's self-esteem is linked to physical strength and a sense of dominance, while women's self-esteem is often associated fertility and motherhood.

Significance

Self-perception often determines how we respond to feedback from others--including in the workplace. That's according to researchers Maria Johnson and Vicki Helgeson, Ph.D., whose article appeared in a 2002 issue of "Psychology of Women Quarterly." In their study, Johnson and Helgeson found that men's self-esteem was largely unaffected by either praise or corrective feedback from their employers, whereas women's self-esteem increased with positive comments and decreased sharply with negative comments. Johnson and Helgeson further suggest that our internal responses to feedback may impact our job performance, work ethic and overall employment satisfaction.

Misconceptions

For both men and women, overall well-being may be at risk when self-worth is contingent upon external factors, notes Jennifer Crocker, Ph.D. of University of Michigan. Seeking continual validation from others increases frustration, feelings of stress and vulnerability to depression. In contrast, those who feel secure in themselves for who they are---rather than what they do---are less likely to demonstrate such problems.

Considerations

Changing how we view self-esteem can ultimately improve social relatedness, notes Crocker. By focusing our goals on helping others instead of self-affirmation, Crocker suggests we may connect with others in a more meaningful way, and thus experience greater life satisfaction.

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