Customer Reviews

Self-Esteem Research, Theory, and Practice: Toward a Positive Psychology of Self-Esteem, Third Edition

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Why another book on self-esteem? As Mruk points out to begin his own, there are already 7,337 articles and books on this topic. What Mruk also makes clear early on is just how little we really do understand of the complexity of this topic. Most have settled for overly simplistic, popularlized truisms, and most scientific studies reveal ambiguous or insignificant consequences. This lack is especially troubling for the many self-esteem enhancement programs that are recently being established. Mruk's solution is to supplement these traditionally scientific studies with findings from qualitative, specifically phenomenological, research. His aim is not simply a side-by-side addition of qualitative work, but to effect on true consensus of both perspectives. The approach allows Mruk a very close access to the lived dimensions of self-esteem, and an astute basis for his concrete suggestions for enhancing self-esteem.

This review was written by Chris Aanstoos, Editor of The Humanstic Psychologist, and published in Volume 23, Number 1, p. 121.

Mruk describes the challenges of studying self-esteem in a clear and academic way. Heavily supported by years of research work. A must read for any serious self-esteem researcher.

Christopher Mruk, professor of psychology at Bowling Green University in Ohio, has just published the Third Edition of his book on self-esteem. I believe this is a major contribution to the field of psychology with its clarification of what self-esteem is, why published research by various authors has been so conflicting, what recent research shows, and why self-esteem deserves a significant place in the emerging field of "positive psychology." It is a must read for those interested in truly understanding self-esteem and its place in the field of psychology.

The two-factor model of self-esteem, based on worthiness and competence, is a practical and helpful way of thinking about self-esteem. Mruk effectively demonstrates that self-esteem is more than just "feeling good about yourself." Also, his piece-by-piece explanation of a course in improving self-esteem through cognitive methods is very interesting and insightful.

I think I would have enjoyed this book even more, though, if there were more emphasis on illustrating the results of research in the field, and less emphasis on defending the field itself from critics. The fact that I picked up the book in the first place, I would think, makes that unnecessary.