ABSTRACT
It can be easy to lose sight of the relevance of close relationships to self-esteem. After all, thinking about oneself seems one of the most private, self-contained things one can do. The key to appreciating the influence of close relationships on self-esteem, and vice versa, is to recognize that self-esteem dynamics are virtually always, at some deep level, tied in with relationship dynamics—even when the connection may not be conscious or apparent. I will start with a brief overview of some of the ways in which relationships influence self-esteem, both developmentally and in the here-and-now, and then examine the reverse influence, of self-esteem on relationships. I will conclude by noting that because interpersonal dynamics may become “internalized,” they may no longer be immediately apparent to casual inspection or theorizing. Fortunately, social cognitive methods can be applied to reveal the ongoing links between self-esteem and significant relationships.
