Psychological Science, 2 ed.

Chapter 15: Social Psychology

Activities

• Reduce Text Size (css supported browser only)
• Enlarge Text (css supported browser only)
• Email this Page to a Friend
• Print this Page

The Rosenberg Scale

In this activity you will be presented with a series of statements. Use the radio buttons below to indicate whether you strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree with each statement. Your answers will remain private.

>>Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale

You have just taken the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, the most widely used self-esteem scale in social science research. Dr. Morris Rosenberg, who devised the scale, was a prolific scholar, and his work on self-concept and especially self-esteem is world-renowned.

Humans are social organisms; it is not by accident that solitary confinement is considered to be a harsh punishment meted out for the worst infractions. We like to be with others when we work and when we relax. One of the advantages to being around others is that through our interactions with them, we get a feeling for our own worth in the web of social interactions.

As Chapter 13 points out, the concept of the symbolic self is essential for understanding human behavior. The symbolic self is an abstract representation of our identity, who we are, and where we are going. The symbolic self provides a "base" upon which to build our social interactions with others. Keep in mind your author's words: the purpose to the social self is to minimize the mental processing involved in everyday life. The self provides a preview of how one should act in given situations and what the likely outcome will be. This ability to "preview" the consequences of behavior prior to the actions themselves helps us to maximize our opportunities in the world.

What do we base our own worth on these social exchanges? Social interactions are complicated and not unlike financial interactions; in both cases, the more capital we have, the greater our worth. For the social self, this capital is "self-esteem." Self-esteem is our own estimate of our worth and as such it guides our interactions with others.

Discussion Questions:

1. Your textbook points out that self-esteem and reality do not necessarily match; that is, one can be high in self-esteem even if the evidence suggests that a more modest evaluation would be appropriate. Assume Bill is an acquaintance with the following characteristics: he has a way of saying the wrong thing to friends, he can never seem to get a date, his grades are poor, and he is always late with his assignments. His sense of fashion leaves much to be desired. Bill takes the Rosenberg and scores 28. Explain.
   
   
   
2. The concept of reflective appraisal is an important one for understanding not only self-esteem but also the symbolic self. You meet Bill's family and afterwards you think to yourself, "Now I understand why Bill's self-esteem is where it is." Explain.
   
   
   
3. The concept of self-esteem has become a hot topic in North American homes and schools. Many school systems have integrated program stressing the development of self-esteem in students and some parents stress the development of self-esteem in their children. Your text provides some guidance for how appropriate self-esteem should be built in children. Briefly describe how you would design a self-esteem enhancement program in a school system, or write a short paragraph of advice to young parents on how to nurture appropriate and healthy self-esteem.
   

Name:
Email:
Professor Email:

Web Links:

To learn more about the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, visit http://www.bsos.umd.edu/socy/grad/socpsy_rosenberg.html