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

The Crucial Issue of Defining Self-Esteem 23In addition, there is another richer but more complicated way inwhich there are two factors in the two-factor approach. At one level, thedual model seems to only involve identifying competence and worthinessas the two factors that are involved in self-esteem. But virtually everyonein this school also recognizes that the connection between them is alsocentral to the model. In this sense, we could also say that the two factorsmay actually be (1) the individual components (competence and worth);and (2) the relationship between them. Perhaps the term “three-factormodel” is more accurate in this regard (competence, worthiness, andtheir dynamic reciprocity), but I do not wish to add to the variations onthe theme in the name of consistency. Suffice it to say that although thisdimension of the two-factor approach is often overlooked, it mayarguably be the most important part of the definition because it is therelationship between competence and worthiness that actually creates orgenerates self-esteem.A TWO-FACTOR DEFINITION OF SELF-ESTEEMAND THE WORLD OF EVERYDAY LIFEThe final task of this chapter is to examine the three standard ways ofdefining self-esteem in the hope that one stands out as more accurate(valid) or at least more comprehensive (useful) than the others. It shouldbe fairly clear that defining self-esteem primarily in terms of either competenceor worthiness (worth) alone offers no advantage because theyboth seem to have reached a serious impasse, even a dead end. After all,success is never guaranteed and is always fleeting even when it isachieved. Therefore, basing self-esteem largely on competence meansthat the individual must live in a constant state of vigilance and always beon the lookout for threats and then be willing to act against them in oneway or another. If this view of self-esteem is followed to its logical conclusion,then Crocker and Park (2003, 2004) are quite correct: The pursuitof self-esteem is far too “costly” and we should be studying ways toget rid of it rather than means of enhancing it.Similarly, understanding self-esteem in terms of feeling good aboutoneself without connecting such belief or experience to reality through theexpression of appropriate, corresponding behavior is also a lopsided wayof understanding self-esteem. As we have seen, Baumeister and colleagues(1996, 2003), Damon (1995), Seligman (1995b), and others point out thatsuch a “feel good” approach can only result in confusing self-esteem withthings like narcissism, egotism, conceit, and other undesirable or “dark”states. Unfortunately, the largest portion of work on self-esteem seems tobe based on the heterogeneity of such worthiness-based definitions, so it is