The document discusses the significance of high self-esteem and its impact on individuals, suggesting that it is widely regarded as an essential goal for personal development. Psychological theories, such as Mead's symbolic interactionism, highlight how self-esteem is influenced by the perceptions of significant others, with high self-esteem individuals interpreting social feedback positively, while those with low self-esteem tend to view social interactions negatively. The text also touches on the role of collective self-esteem, where individuals derive self-worth from their identification with social groups.

1. High Self Esteem Essay
'It is good for a person to have a high level of self–esteem.' Critically discuss.
Self–esteem has captivated the interest of psychological researchers and the whole of society. "This academic preoccupation is substantially
matched by interest among the public at large, and not just among those people, doctors, teachers and social workers who might be expected to
show a professional interest in the human psyche. In their everyday lives people routinely treat the notion of self–esteem as an intelligible basis for
explaining their own difficulties or other's failings." (Emler 2001) High self–esteem is seen as something that every individual should aspire to as
much as the...show more content...
According to (Mead 1934) symbolic interactionism, a process where individuals respond to themselves dependent on the attitudes of the main
figures in their lives. As such, low self–esteem develops when individuals are devalued or rejected by these main figures surrounding them. A
study in relation to reactions to social feedback, found that individuals with high self–esteem perceived social acceptance, even after having been
personally rejected by their peers. Conversely, low–self esteem individuals perceived social rejection even after being told they were personally
accepted. Here we see that high and low self–esteem people are seen as equally likeable under neutral conditions (Nezlek et al 1997). Later
perspectives such as (Rosenberg 1965) argues that it is very important to assess how individuals think they are viewed by the main people in
their lives such as family and peer groups. Others have concentrated on what is considered the norms and values of the societies and cultures
where individuals are brought up, for example it was argued that some individuals experience collective self–esteem as they base their self–esteem
on their social identities as belonging to certain groups (Luhtanen & Crocker 1992). Therefore by identifying with a certain group the status
and prestige of the group can attach to one's self–concept. For example, if an individual identified with and showed support for the
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