ABSTRACT
Does self-esteem grow out of intrapsychic or interpersonal processes? This seemingly straightforward question is actually trickier than it appears to be. The complexity stems from the fact that intrapsychic and interpersonal processes are mutually influential. As such, determining which of the two sets of processes are dominant is a little like asking whether the process of respiration is influenced more by the quality of one’s lungs or the quality of the air in the surrounding environment. Obviously, both sets of variables affect the outcome. The question, then, is how intrapersonal and interpersonal processes interact to produce self-esteem.
