Self-Esteem: The Puzzle of Low Self-Regard (The Springer Series in Social Clinical Psychology)

Summarizing and integrating the major empirical research of the past twenty years, this volume presents a thorough review of the subject, with a special focus on what sets people with low self-esteem apart from others. As the subject is central to the understanding of personality, mental health, and social adjustment, this work will be appreciated by professionals and advanced students in the fields of personality, social, clinical, and organizational psychology. Front Matter....Pages i-xvii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Who am I? The Role of Self-Concept Confusion in Understanding the Behavior of People with Low Self-Esteem....Pages 3-20 Low Self-Esteem: The Uphill Struggle for Self-Integrity....Pages 21-36 The Social Motivations of People with Low Self-Esteem....Pages 37-53 Self-Esteem and Self-Serving Biases in Reactions to Positive and Negative Events: An Integrative Review....Pages 55-85 Causes and Consequences of Low Self-Esteem in Children and Adolescents....Pages 87-116 Motivational Conflict and the Self: The Double-Bind of Low Self-Esteem....Pages 117-130 Self-Esteem, Self-Prediction, and Living up to Commitments....Pages 131-145 Caught in the Crossfire: Positivity and Self-Verification Strivings Among People with Low Self-Esteem....Pages 147-165 The Roles of Stability and Level of Self-Esteem in Psychological Functioning....Pages 167-182 On the Highly Positive Thoughts of the Highly Depressed....Pages 183-199 Understanding the Inner Nature of Low Self-Esteem: Uncertain, Fragile, Protective, and Conflicted....Pages 201-218 Self-Esteem and Expectancy-Value Discrepancy: The Effects of Believing that You can (or can’t) Get What You Want....Pages 219-240 The Puzzles of Self-Esteem a Clinical Perspective....Pages 241-262 Back Matter....Pages 263-267