I urge everyone to read this article. I was a bit confused at Andres' posts. The research Ana reports on was prompted by her observations that a number of writers had described adult basic education learners as having low self esteem, but the writers provided no empirical evidence for these judgements. So she sought out empirical evidence. Finding none, she constructed a study to do so. 

She found that the learners she surveyed had self esteem similar to that of doctoral students: and it wasn't "low" at all. She suggests that those who work with adult basic education students reevaluate any preconceived notions they may have about their students.

One can certainly argue about the validity of studies that try to measure self esteem, but I think the point that Ana's work makes, that we all meet our learners with open minds rather than pre-conceived notions, is a good one.

Barb Garner
Editor, Focus on Basics
Boston
b.garner4 at verizon.net
=====================
From: Julie  McKinney <julie_mcKinney at worlded.org>
Date: Tue Jun 20 15:33:33 CDT 2006
To: focusonbasics at nifl.gov
Subject: [FocusOnBasics 361] Re: Response to Andres Muro and FOB	article	onself-esteem

Andres, Judith and others interested in the self esteem research,

This area of research and the article itself is certainly worthy of some
interesting discussion! In fact, we are planning a discussion with the
author of the article, Ana Lipnevich, for sometime in September. I am
sure she would like to hear your comments. She is currently out of the
country with sporadic internet access, but please coninue, and stay
tuned for a formal discussion of this article in September. 

For others out there interested in self esteem, Andres is referring to
the following article:

Low Self Esteem: Myth or Reality?
http://www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=1105

All the best,

Julie

Julie McKinney
Discussion List Moderator
World Education/NCSALL
jmckinney at worlded.org


>>> j-p-sinclair at worldnet.att.net 06/20/06 3:06 PM >>>

Your ideas mirror some of my own, Andres. Yet it seems to me that
research in self-esteem is generally a difficult task, although an
interesting and important one.  And, I would add that I think all of
this revolves around one's definitions of self-esteem, and also success,
failure, and so on.  As you note, these American concepts may not be the
same as the concepts of self-esteem, success, failure, and so on, as
seen in other societies and cultures.  

 

And, there are differences in perspective from each of the social and
other sciences investigating levels of self-esteem.  All in all, a
tricky business.  For example, in psychology, we might look at
self-esteem as self-worth, how a person's subjective appraisal of him or
herself affects their moods, attitudes, and behaviors.  As illustration,
Maslow looked at self-esteem in two ways, lower and higher, the lower
the need for respect of others; the higher the need for respect for
oneself.  In this lower group he included over the years the need for
status, fame, glory, recognition, attention, appreciation, for example,
along with other aspects.  He is simply one theorist and practitioner
who has contributed to the research on this subject, and guided the work
of many others.  And his is simply one perspective, albeit a good one.

 

In sociology, examining another perspective, we have only to look at the
Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, a widely used tool in sociologic research. 
Rosenberg opined that self-esteem is a positive or negative orientation
toward oneself, that is, a self-evaluation of one's worth or value. 
Yet, he believed that self-esteem was only one component of the
self-concept, however.  Other components included all of an individual's
thoughts and feelings, if I recall correctly. 

 

So again we can see differences in concepts and definitions, assumptions
and expressions, all coming from the social sciences.  And to add to the
mix, we could include the legal, philosophic, theologic, and medical
perspectives, all differing.  I would also add that often studies of
self-esteem are troublesome research projects because so much of the
data collected is in the form of self-reports.  There are inherent
issues with self-reports, although they are great tools in the absence
of other methods.

 

Finally, Andre, I appreciate your understanding of the role of economics
in both defining and measuring self-esteem.  We make assumptions, it
often seems, about the populations we are studying and/or treating,
based on our own experiences and our own place in the general economic,
social, and political thoroughfare. Too often we forget the tremendous
impact poverty makes on the human psyche from the onset of its travel
through time.  And conversely, the impact wealth makes.  

 

In my research projects as well as my own practice as a life management
consultant specializing in education, aging, careers, and life
transitions, I see evidence of how all this plays out.  For example, in
my private practice some of my clients have had significant first and
second language problems, and it has been interesting to see the
interaction with their "perceived" and self-reported levels of
self-esteem.  There is tremendous variance.  In the end, I too have
learned that along with other investigations of human characteristics,
inquiries of self-esteem are "slippery slopes."

 

Thanks again for your response, and I, too, look forward to hearing from
others on such an interesting topic.  If anyone has any specific
questions about my research or  private practice, please contact me
directly and I will be glad to respond.

 


Dr. Judith Sinclair, PhD
Cognitive Psychologist

Research and Communications
Life Management Consultant:
   Career Development
   Education Achievement
   Transition Management
   Options in Aging
3003 Van Ness Street NW
Suite 411 West
Washington, DC  20008
Phone: 202-364-3893
Mobile: 202-236-9822
email: j-p-sinclair at att.net

 

 

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