An Interdisciplinary Conceptualization on How Self-Esteem in Women Effect Society.

LaSherre Osborne

Research Statements
Topic: How self-esteem in women effects society.
Statement of problem: The research problem that is motivating this study is the lack of
knowledge on strategies that can be used in changing low self-esteem in women.
Research question: What strategies can be used changing low self-esteem in women.
Purpose of this study: The purpose of this study is to provide new knowledge regarding the
strategies that can used changing low self-esteem in women.
Background
Self-esteem in women has been an issue for ages; however, it is an issue that has been
looked over. Also, many people suffer from this. Low self-esteem can steel many opportunities.
For example, I wanted to run for senior class president, but the low self-esteem or lack of
confidence within myself made me not do it. Looking back on that, I now know that I had the
potential to change the face of Norfolk State University. Unfortunately, I gave into my fear and
self-esteem. I believe with more research in this topic, lots of women issues would be resolved.
This issues could be less women incarcerations, women killings, teenage pregnancies, suicide or
even abortions. I believe that issues today rooting from self-esteem are ushered by things as
major as lack of foundational childhood, or even as minor as a negative person planting a bad
seed in you. However, I believe that the ultimate root is the lack of positive teaching in todays
society.
Introduction

LaSherre Osborne

Self- esteem is a term that is defined as how one perceives oneself. Rosenberg (1991)
defines self-esteem as the individual's positive or negative attitude toward the self as a totality
(141). Self- esteem can be seen as a minute issue; however, self- esteem can brings about a lot of
issues if not handle with care. One development or how a person is nurtured plays a key role in
how their self-esteem will be when they mature into adults.
Self-esteem has plagued the lives of young women for ages. However, self-esteem has
just been actualized as an issue. Low self-esteem can cause psychological issues. Psychology is
the study of the mind. An example of this is the individuals who have a negative idea about
themselves or who have low self-esteem tend to perceive themselves as not very important,
lacking lovability, and with no comfort in themselves and their capabilities (Nassir, 2015,
p105). In other words, one has a distorted or negative self-image. It can cause sociological
issues. Sociology is the study of functioning in a society. For example, the self-esteem of
women should be based on fostering relationships with others (Blackman, 1996, 117). It can
also bring about health issues. If one has low self-esteem they feel worthless or have a very low
chance of taking care of themselves. Pink page emphasized, Several studies showed that low
self-esteem is associated with increased anxiety and depression (Nasiri, 2015, 106). With this,
the nurturing of self-esteem should be handled with care.
Review of Literature
Psychology
In this section we compare three works that emphasize how the self-esteem starts in the
mind. Also, how psychology is the disciplines that controls ones self-esteem. The first work
entitled Self-Esteem as Viewed from the Outside, talks about self-esteem and the comparison

LaSherre Osborne

between males and females. Blackman defines self-esteem as, a personal judgment of
worthiness that is expressed in the attitude an individual holds toward himself (Blackman, 1996,
p. 118) in other word the article defines this as the perception one feels for oneself. The article
then goes into depth about the self-concept of people. The article emphasizes that self-concept is
shaped as a child. Also that women are supposed to be sensitive. This was a good study;
however, it didnt have enough information about ones schema. Also, the sample of the people
lacked different ages. It should also have a variance of different races.
The second phenomenal work is entitled, A comparative study of the effects of problemsolving skills training and relaxation on the score of self-esteem in women with postpartum
depression. The study talks about self-esteem as psychological issue. It also talks about how
self-esteem can cause mental health issues. Nasiri at el. (2015) defines self-esteem as, an
important state of mind which allows individuals to accept themselves as they are and be selfconfident. The article explains the correlation of self-esteem and problem solving. By means of
problem-solving skills, people can identify and recommend the effective strategies to face
stressful situations in everyday life (Nasiri, 2015, 106). Being that psychology is the study of
the mind, if the mind is filled with negative thoughts one cannot focus on the problem at hand.
One cannot believe they can effectively solve the problem. If one decides to try solve the
problem, they would think so negatively of themselves that they may give up on the problem
before it has a chance to be solved. Also, this work gives way on how to solve this issue. The
article talk about having relaxation time to eliminate solve self-esteem. With relaxation, the
person can attach importance to herself and she can perceive everything that she needs (Nassir,
2015, p106). The study was informative in the way it gave a resolution to the self-esteem issue. It

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also gave information on when women are more likely to be depressed. However, in the study it
lack differentiation of race and age of the women.
The last study under the psychology discipline is entitled Global Self-Esteem and
Specific Self-Esteem. The article start by defining self-esteem as, the individual's positive or
negative attitude toward the self as a totality (Rosenberg, 1991, p141). Meaning self- esteem is
the self-image of ones own self. The article goes into depth about the different type of selfesteem. One of the type of self-esteem that they talk about is ones global self-esteem. This could
be ones racial esteem (pride in ones race) or the academic self-concept (how well one does
academically). The work was very informative in how self-esteem can sometimes make people
unmotivated to do things. In the face of difficulties, people who entertain serious doubts about
their capacities slacken their efforts or give up altogether, whereas those who have a strong sense
of efficacy exert greater effort to master the challenges" (Rosenberg, 1991, p 141) In other
words, low self-esteem can cause people to cause people to be unsuccessful in their task. Also,
people that believe in themselves concur the task.
Sociology
The first work entitled Identity, Peer Relationships, and Adolescent Girls Sexual
Behavior. This work talks about the sexual double standard. The classic definition of the
sexual double standard focuses on the ways in which young men are socialized to value sexual
experience and young women learn to emphasize committed relationships(Lyons, 2011 p437).
In other words sexual double standard is how women and men see relationships. Also, they work
studies the correlation between women sexual partner numbers and their self-esteem. The work
was very informative but it the differentiation of gender. The sexual double standard may change
through race.

LaSherre Osborne

The second work is entitled Social Comparison and the Circle of Objectification. This
work talks about how women in today society are seen as something that has no worth.
Westernized cultures, women are treated as objects to be used by others and their bodies are
equated with who they are as people (Lindner et. al. 2012, p223). In turn, society defines
women of today. Women lack identity. This study sample lacked the information on the age of
the participants.
The last work entitled, Too Much of a Good Thing? Psychosocial Resources, Gendered
Racism, and Suicidal Ideation among Low Socioeconomic Status African American Women.
This work talks about the correlation between Social Economic Status (SES) and the overall selfesteem of African American women. The study was very informative on the worlds self-concept
of African American women. The African American women are viewed as mammy figures,
nurturing, servile, and passive (Perry, 2012, p.335). The article emphasized how the world see
African American women is how their one self-concept themselves is negative. This work was
very informative; however, it didnt give differentiation in the race.
Health
The first work is entitled, The Relationship between Gender, BMI, Self-Esteem, and
Body Esteem in College Students. The work was informative about ones need to stay young.
Also it talks about the correlation between weight and self-esteem. Obese and overweight adults
tend to have low body esteem (Peden, 2004, p 25). The work was well written however it lack
the accentuation on gender.
The second work Clinical Hypnosis and Cognitive Behavior Therapy in the Treatment
of a Young Woman with Anxiety, Depression, and Self-Esteem Issues. The work gave a case

LaSherre Osborne

study of a women that had severe depression. She had depression so severe she had tried to
commit suicide. The study was very informative on how low self-esteem formulates depression.
Lastly, it gives a solution to the self-esteem issue. Particularly, in the treatment of anxiety, it has
been suggested that hypnosis enhances the cognitive components used to manage anxiety and
stress (Kellis, 2011, p158). In other word, hypnosis can cure self-esteem and depression. The
study was very good because it was very informative and gave a solution the self-esteem issues.
This last work under the discipline health is entitled Negative Thinking and the Mental
Health of Low-Income Single Mothers. The works talks about different expects of mental
health. However, Self-esteem issue starts in the mind. Negative thoughts are cognitions that
imply criticism or devaluation of self (Peden, 2004, p338). Essentially meaning how you think
is how everything will be. The work also talks about how poverty and chronic stress among low
income, single mothers place them at high risk for poor mental health, particularly for subclinical
depressive symptoms, which can also have a negative influence on their children(Peden, 2004,
p337). The work was very informative in many aspects of mental health. However, it was most
informative on how self-esteem formulate into depression or how its correlates. The study lacked
age and gender specification.

Next Step
The next step would be to figure out how self-esteem effect women of different ages.
Then formulate a cheaper way to figure out how to give people mental help to low suicidal rates,
and other self-esteem issues.

LaSherre Osborne

LaSherre Osborne

LaSherre Osborne

Reference
Blackman, M. C., & Funder, D. C. (1996). Self-Esteem as Viewed From the Outside: A Peer and
Gender Perspective. Journal Of Social Behavior & Personality, 11(1), 115-126.

Kellis, E. (2011). Clinical Hypnosis and Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy in the Treatment of A

Young Women with Anxiety, Depression, Self-Esteem Issues. Australian Journal Of
Clinical & Experimental Hypnosis, 39(1), 155-165

Lindner, D., Tantleff-Dunn, S., & Jentsch, F. (2012). Social Comparison and the Circle of
Objectification. Sex Roles, 222-235. Retrieved February 27, 2015, from http://0ejournals.ebsco.com.library.nsu.edu/Direct.asp?
AccessToken=7DLLJTIB339MJFVLTJ3OTV9IOR0VBTTOIR&Show=Object

Lindner, D., Tantleff-Dunn, S., & Jentsch, F. (2012). Social Comparison and the Circle of
Objectification. Sex Roles, 222-235. Retrieved February 27, 2015, from http://0ejournals.ebsco.com.library.nsu.edu/Direct.asp?
AccessToken=7DLLJTIB339MJFVLTJ3OTV9IOR0VBTTOIR&Show=Object

Lyons, H., Giordano, P. C., Manning, W. D., & Longmore, M. A. (2011). Identity, Peer
Relationships, and Adolescent Girls' Sexual Behavior: An Exploration of the
Contemporary Double Standard. Journal Of Sex Research, 48(5), 437-449.
doi:10.1080/00224499.2010.506679

Nasiri, S., Kordi, M., & Gharavi, M. M. (2015). A comparative study of the effects of problemsolving skills training and relaxation on the score of self-esteem in women with
postpartum depression. Iranian Journal Of Nursing & Midwifery Research, 20(1), 105112.

Peden, A. R., Rayens, M. K., Hall, L. A., & Grant, E. (2004). Negative Thinking and the Mental
Health of Low-Income Single Mothers. Journal Of Nursing Scholarship, 36(4), 337-344.

LaSherre Osborne

Perry, B. L., Pullen, E. L., & Oser, C. B. (2012). Too Much of a Good Thing? Psychosocial
Resources, Gendered Racism, and Suicidal Ideation among Low Socioeconomic Status
African American Women. Social Psychology Quarterly, 75(4), 334-359.
doi:10.1177/0190272512455932

Rosenberg, M. Schooler, C. Schoenbach, C & Rosenberg, F. (1995) American Sociological

Review. 141-156

Sociology. (n.d.). Retrieved February 18, 2015, from http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/sociology.