Synonyms
Definitions
Self-esteem denotes the positivity of one’s overall self-evaluation. Status denotes the social prestige one gains in virtue of being respected and admired. Dominance theory and hierometer theory, drawing on evolutionary theory, specify how self-esteem and status might interrelate.
Introduction
Human beings, as self-conscious animals, evaluate themselves positively or negatively. In addition, as social animals, they also evaluate one another positively or negatively. The former type of evaluation, when positive, is commonly known as self-esteem (Rosenberg 1965). The latter type of evaluation, when positive, might be labeled “social esteem.” One important question is how the two are linked.
Everyday intuition suggests, and classic theories propose, that self-esteem derives from social esteem (Cooley 1902). However, people do not absorb social information passively, but actively process it in a manner that protects their...
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Gregg, A., Sedikides, C., Pegler, A. (2018). Self-Esteem and Social Status: Dominance Theory and Hierometer Theory?. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1450-1
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