ABSTRACT
Self-esteem is a concept that is treated ambivalently by psychologists. On the one hand, it is clear that a sense of worth and confidence, both aspects of self-esteem, can yield many benefits in terms of motivation and mental health. On the other hand, there is suspicion that too often self-esteem is misplaced, inaccurate, or vulnerable. Many people have an inflated sense of self-worth, mismatched with actual merits or accomplishment. Others, particularly narcissists, may well have high self-esteem, but nonetheless are insensitive, self-centered and often poorly regarding of others (Paulus & Williams, 2002). Finally, there is something disconcerting about people esteeming themselves—a concept that seems in principle to lack humility and grace.
