ABSTRACT
Understanding the relative influence of interpersonal and intrapersonal processes on self-esteem requires making two important distinctions. The first is the type of self-esteem, namely whether true self-esteem or contingent self-esteem is being considered (Deci & Ryan, 1995; Ryan & Deci, 2004). The second is whether developmental antecedents of self-esteem or current social-contextual influences are being considered. The two types of self-esteem have different developmental, as well as different proximal, antecedents, and they are associated with different outcomes.
