NCJ Number
189594
Journal
Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: July/August 2001 Pages: 375-393
Editor(s)
Vincent B. Van Hasselt,
Michel Hersen
Date Published
2001
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This article examined the relation between aggression and self-esteem. Problems facing the research in this field are brought forth, as well as the challenges involved.
Abstract
There are numerous studies, within the psychological literature, concerned with self-esteem (a person’s global, evaluative view of his/her self) and its connections with individuals’ cognitions, emotions, and behavior, specifically aggressive behavior. There have been different theories connecting aggression to either low or high self-esteem. One plausible suggestion was that there is a certain subset of people who report a high self-esteem who are aggressive. Despite their self-confident surface, these people had underlying insecurity regarding their self-view. The study suggested that instead of studying self-esteem qualitative distinctions should be made, for instance, between different types of unhealthy self-esteem, such as disparaging and underestimating self versus narcissistically refusing to see anything negative in oneself. It is the latter type that seemed to be associated with aggressive behavior. Empirical findings have been controversial and sometimes indicated that no direct relation exists between aggression and self-esteem. It is also known that many factors may contribute to aggressive behavior, such as situational, personological, or developmental variables. Rather than being a cause of aggressive behavior, self-esteem may function as a moderator influencing what kinds of situations are perceived as threatening. Self-esteem was also seen as modifying aggression in other ways not yet examined. References