ABSTRACT
Self-esteem represents individualistic Western values such as self-confidence, self-reliance, and self-assertiveness. Indeed, one’s self-esteem has been shown to be positively correlated with one’s individualistic tendencies in both the USA and Japan. Self-esteem has been variously defined by previous researchers. Those definitions are largely similar but they are divided on the issue of emotional involvement. Some definitions emphasize the cognitive aspect, whereas others include emotion as an essential component of self-esteem. Self-presentation is a major tool for impression management: people express themselves or behave in ways designed to create a favorable impression among others. To create a favorable impression among others, it is obvious that individuals have to obey the prevalent norm in their society. The expression of moderate self-esteem has been suggested to be beneficial in terms of creating favorable impressions among others in East-Asian cultural contexts.
