Self‐Esteem

Abstract The term self‐esteem was first coined by William James in 1890, which makes it one of the oldest concepts in psychology. Self‐esteem's importance is often seen in relation to such crucial areas as human motivation, development, performance, coping ability, relationship formation, psychopathology, and mental health or overall well‐being. Self‐esteem also appears to be the third most frequently occurring theme in psychological literature, with more than 25,000 articles, chapters, and books written on the topic (Rodewalt & Tragakis, 2003). Given such a long and important history, it is not surprising to find several definitions of self‐esteem in the field (Mruk, 2006). Three of these definitions generate distinct schools of thought consisting of central ideas about self‐esteem, major theories consistent with each set of ideas, and a related body of research concerning the role self‐esteem plays in behavior. Therefore, understanding self‐esteem and its field requires appreciating each position, especially in terms of relative strengths and weaknesses.