Self-Esteem Research, Theory, and Practice Toward a Positive ...

108 SELF-ESTEEM RESEARCH, THEORY, AND PRACTICEwithout offending someone through an act of omission (leaving someoneor something out), commission (saying something with which theauthor disagrees), or through interpretation (which can never be perfect).I have had the opportunity to experience all of these phenomenaas have most of us who try to share ideas publicly. Thus, it is with greatcare that I struggled to decide which theories to present and how tocondense their rich and powerful ideas into a few pages. Nevertheless,let me say that although I have tried my best to select representativework and to present it accurately, I apologize in advance for anyinevitable shortcomings.TRADITIONAL THEORETICAL APPROACHESThe Jamesian TraditionWe have already examined James’ basic approach but the fact that it isbeing cited in the literature (Crocker & Park, 2003; Harter, 1999) nowmore than previously means that we should deepen our appreciation of itand its influence. In talking about self-esteem he began by pointing outthat each person is born into a set of possible social roles or identities createdby factors such as history, culture, family, interests, and circumstance.Over time, we find ourselves becoming invested in some of these“selves” more than others, which creates certain priorities. Over the sametime, we also develop an overall sense of how well or poorly we havelived up to these expectations, which gives us our self-esteem and an“average feeling tone” (James, 1890/1983 p. 292). Thus, self-esteem issomething that involves areas of life that matter to a person in terms ofthe individual’s identity, how well the person has done in them, and thefact that the person must continue to be concerned with them over time.As James said,So we have the paradox of a man shamed to death because he is onlythe second pugilist or the second oarsman in the world. That he is ableto beat the whole population of the globe minus one is nothing; he has“pitted” himself to beat that one; and as long as he doesn’t do thatnothing else counts. He is to his own regard as if he were not, indeed,he is not.Yonder puny fellow, however, whom everyone can beat, suffers nochagrin about it, for he has long ago abandoned the attempt to “carrythat line,” as the merchants say, of self at all. With no attempt there canbe no failure; with no failure no humiliation. So our self-feeling in thisworld depends entirely on what we back ourselves to be and do.(1980/1983, p. 296)