Positive Self-Affirmation on Self-Esteem

Abstract

Identifying productive ways to interact with self-esteem levels through the use of behavioral activation, and using positive self-affirmation as a way strengthen self-esteem. This study intends to determine whether self-esteem can be improved in college students to cope with other aspects of their academic lives. The study focuses on positive self-affirmation as the key component of the behavioral activation, acting as a positive reinforcement to help the individual become more resilient to rejection and find self-motivation. Participants included 18 Rutgers undergraduate students. 11 females and 7 males between the ages of 18 and 26. Made up of 2 sophomores, 4 juniors and 12 seniors. A 4 week self-reports were used to record participation, which was composed of 3 times a week. Both male and female participants performed the same behavioral activation in the study. The design of this study was non-experimental and correlational. Results did not provide a significant increase in self-esteem levels after the study. Most of the results remained consistent before and after the study for the exception of two sample items from the self-esteem measure questionnaire. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

Introduction

Positive affirmation can have a great impact on self-esteem. As human beings, there is a need for mental stability, understanding that positive thinking is a key component which allow individuals, groups of people or entire societies to flourish in today’s world. Positive thinking plays a major role in the way humans grow, succeed and maintain a stable well-being. Situations characterized by positive emotions can also constitute to higher positive affirmation. Just by experiencing excitement or happiness while minimizing the exposure of negative effects to the self-esteem. Self-affirmation, can also have an impact on judgement and openness to experiences, this is due in the context of people’s responses to threats against the ego, which can be portrayed as events or communications that have unfavorable implications to the self. These threats tend to bring about tendencies that are thought to come from motivation to view themselves and their associates in a positive manner. In his article, Schmeichel (2009) calls them “defensive responses”, which bring about rationalized attitude changes, self-serving attributions for success and failure, outgroup derogation, and positive persuasion about personal beliefs. Despite the extensive inclination to protect the self through these defensive responses, self-affirmation acts like white blood cells when they encounter bacteria, by attacking them and eliminating negative effects that are meant to cause harm; at the same time, allowing individuals to maintain a positive view of their persona. Positive affirmation aids self-esteem to achieve psychological growth and improve well-being over time.

Self-esteem on its own, should be studied in order to understand the way people function in their everyday lives and how they cope with different situations. There is natural need for survival and self-preservation, because of this, self-esteem might be the number one factor on how we react to scenarios correlated with positive or negative feelings. Leary and colleagues (1995) found out through research that these feelings have a close relation to levels of high or low self-esteem individuals might be experiencing through different points in time. Self-esteem is how people value themselves, the way in which individuals manage their social circles and the routes they take in life. It is a natural regulator of feelings that allows an individual to make judgements pertaining their environment and their sense of belonging.

Defining self-esteem has been a difficult and ongoing process within the psychology field. One thing that can be agreed upon is the relation between positive self-regard and our culture. Both, good self-esteem and positive self-esteem, are intertwined in definition. Usually self-esteem is projected as a universal evaluation of one’s self. In the article by Heine (1999) self-esteem is referred as “average tone of self-feeling that each of us carries about with him, and which is independent of the objective reasons we may have for satisfaction or discontent”. Self-esteem is also portrayed as a “self-reflexive attitude that results from conceiving the self as an object of evaluation”. This can also be defined as feelings of affection for oneself, with high self-esteem being described as having deep affection for one’s self. This literature also argued that there is a need for humans to feel good internally and externally, suggesting that people across time and cultures may approach this basic need in a different manner but for the same reason, which is why it can be perceived as being universal. Heine goes on to talk about information that seems to be fundamental to the science of psychology, one that could be perceived as boring or irrelevant at first, but it portrays a fact that we can be certain about, which is that as far as we can tell, all organisms like to feel good about themselves.

All of this helps gain better understanding the definition of self-esteem, by define it as a feeling that people use to specify self-evaluating thoughts they usually have about themselves in most circumstances. However, many believe that self-esteem it is actually how people react in certain situations which helps them differentiate their actions from one another, giving each individual a different outcome. Receiving a high score on a test of abilities or a low score on a measure of how social a person is, are examples of such differences between high and low labels of self-esteem. High self-esteem promotes positive effect by buffering the person against stress and other negative emotions, whereas low self-esteem is associated with depression, anxiety, and maladjustment (Leary, 1995).

Leary’s research findings explain how those with low self-esteem experience negative effects more commonly than those with high self-esteem; however, it does not clarify why self-esteem produces these effects in the first place. The research does explain a possibility as to why this might be the case, self-esteem is closely associated with confidence and the expectations of success and goal orientation. Thus, associating high self-esteem with optimism and lower levels of anxiety. If an individual has high self-esteem, we can assume he or she is protected against the anxiety behind negative thoughts and experiences. However, if such “protective shield” is flawed by lack of self-worth one can argue that the person is predisposed to high levels of anxiety and depression. The research also looks at anxiety through the theory of evolution, in which we might expect people who worried about possible future misfortunes to have a higher chance for survival and reproduction. Because of it, we can conclude that anxiety is not always a negative effect but also a protective mechanism.

Positive affirmation ranges among different sectors of our society which still work as buffers for our self-esteem. There are countless of aspects that can act as positive buffers but I will only be approaching four major ones, these being: the maintenance of beauty, objects which we consume, belonging to a group and being in love. Looks can change the course of one’s life and impact how much positive affirmation is received. Studies of interpersonal perception have found universal bias when accounting beauty with good in people (Claudia, 2015). How attractive a person might be will influence how people portray them with regards to intelligence, sociability, behaviors and possible job performance. Attributing to the fact that good looks have influence on how high a person might be rated on these traits compared to someone who is less attractive. Beauty on its own, can increase positive affirmation and enhance our self-confidence.

The same can be said about the way we feel when purchasing items deemed “beautiful”. Research in the literature tells us how the choice of product is related to how a consumer perceives his or herself. Consumers develop and maintain themselves through the use of branded products, choices can reflect their actual selves or who they wish to become. This can have an impact on how highly the person feels (positive affirmation) about themselves and even boost self-esteem. Experiments in Claudia’s literature showed that just the mere act of choosing a beautiful product over a less appealing one gave positive affirmation to a person’s sense of self, it also made them more open to other points of views and to admitting mistakes they have made.

Other researches like the one by Woo (2015) about group Affirmation, explains how individuals try to maintain a positive perception of their selves by having a sense of belonging. Being a parent, teacher, worker, athlete, etc. are some of the examples that can maintain positive self-regard and give the individual a sense of self-integrity as a combination of their self-worth within different sections of their lives. Studies in the literature have also found that self-affirmation at a group level is possible and can have similar defensive mechanism as self-affirmation.

Love is another major subject within psychology that has been hard to define but it’s an emotional factor that is very important for the survival of a person’s well-being. We find love when we arrive in this world from our parents in the form of nurture and protection, as we go on in life, our friends and romantic relationships help us maintain self-affirmation and self-worth. Without this very essential positive affirmation our specie would not be able to survive, making it probably the most important subject of it all. Thomas (2013), expresses a very strong observation about the subject: “the mind of human beings are mirrors to one another’s soul.” Which states that our lives are intertwined with those around us. Through others we can receive affirmation which we cannot confirm on our own, making our own self-identity deeply tied to social interactions and signs of affection.

These positive affirmations given by the previous literature can be seem as reinforcements to the self-esteem and considered fundamentally important to its make-up. Through this we can hypothesized that positive affirmation three times a week will show an increase in self-esteem levels within college students. However, the amount needed to increase self-esteem considerably can vary depending on other internal and external factors within any given student. Given the examples above there can be numerous variables affecting the levels of self-esteem after positive affirmation has been applied. However, even after outside variables affected the outcome, positive affirmation does increase self-esteem levels amongst college students.

Behavioral activation is defined as a treatment for depression. BA’s beginnings came about from a behavior therapy treatment condition of cognitive therapy, in a component analysis study by Beck, Rush, Shaw, and Emery (Jacobson, 2001). BA was an attempt to help depressed individuals reenter their lives by focused activation strategies. Such strategies engaged negative effects like those of withdrawal, avoidance and lack of activity which were bringing about episodes of depression on the individuals. BA acts as a natural antidepressant and a positive reinforcement in the person’s life to improve depressive states and ensure they can return to their normal lives. The study attempted to increase in levels of self-esteem in Rutgers college students, by practicing positive self-affirmation at least 3 times a week. The outcome should predict whether positive self-affirmation can increase levels on self-esteem by the conclusion of the study.

Method

Participants

Participants in this study included 18 Rutgers State University undergraduate students. Participants included 11 females and 7 males between the ages of 18 and 26. Participants were made up of 2 sophomores, 4 juniors and 12 seniors. All students consented to participate in the study by enrolling in the Abnormal Psychology Lab course, and were expecting a class credit for their participation in the study.

Materials

Materials included a Behavioral Activation Log used for self-report measurements. Self-esteem Questionnaires were used to measure levels of self-esteem (similar Psychological Stress Measure or PSM-9), before the experiment began and after it concluded. The log was made up of a 4-week period with each week starting from Wednesday and concluding on Tuesday. Participants were asked to engaged in daily positive affirmation at least 3 times a week, regardless of whether they engaged on the behavioral activation or not, the outcome was to be recorded.

Design and Procedure

The purpose of this study is to measure the relationship between positive affirmation and an increase in self-esteem. Levels of self-esteem were measure before and after the conclusion of the experiment. Participants were asked to complete at least 3 days a week to measure differences in self-esteem levels. Participants were told they could stop the log anytime but failure to do so meant the class credit would not be rewarded. Both male and female participants regardless of age performed the same behavioral activation in the study. The design of this study was non-experimental and correlational

Results

To measure and test the effects of positive self-affirmation on self-esteem, data analyses were conducted. The mean score on the self-esteem measure questionnaire as a whole prior to the intervention of positive self-affirmation was 2.54. The mean score post intervention was 2.62. On sample item 9: “I certainly feel useless at times”, the mean score prior to the intervention was 2.47, while post intervention mean was 2.53. On sample item 12: “What others think of me has no effect on what I think about myself”, the mean prior intervention was 2.31, while post intervention was 2.53. On both questions before commencing the experiment, participants disagreed with feeling useless and the effects of other’s perception of them on how they perceived themselves. meanwhile in the post measurements the group agreed on both feeling useless and other’s perceptions. There was no significant change between all other measurement before and after the experiment. A paired-samples t-test was also conducted. Results from the paired-samples t-test on sample item 9 showed a p-value of .334, while sample item 12 was .413. This finding was not significant at the .05 level of significance.

Discussion

The study attempted to increase levels of self-esteem in Rutgers college students, by practicing positive self-affirmation at least 3 times a week. The outcome should give information on whether positive self-affirmation, can increase levels on self-esteem by the conclusion of the study. The measurements of positive self-affirmation according to the study, did have a small increase in levels of self-esteem. However, the increase was not significant enough to make a difference between levels before commencing the behavioral activation and after it concluded. In accordance with the self-esteem questionnaires, participants showed better sense of self-worth in how useful they felt at times and the way other’s opinions of them affected their own sense of self-concept, this might be the result of the daily practice of positive affirmation. Every other aspect did not seem to change according to the self-esteem questionnaires, shining light on third variables, internal and external limitations that might have implicated the outcome of the study. The aftermath might suggest there are unique and chronic stressors to college students that could impede any significant change in measurements of self-esteem. This can also mean that the measurement tools use to describe participant’s levels of self-esteem might be insufficient or flawed. Leary and colleagues (1995) stated that perception of outcome can be described differently depending on whether your levels of self-esteem were either low or high prior to the study. Students with low self-esteem may be more likely to find no practical value in positive self-affirmation and reject its usefulness and criticize its value, while students with high self-esteem might perceive opposite effects through the activity and maintain consistency. From previous research, it can be assumed that individual differences might directly affect the outcome, there is also no way of telling whether participants followed instructions. There is no way of telling if the college students attempted to complete the behavioral activation as they were originally directed, nor whether they randomly filled in the blanks creating Response bias, this can add another internal limitation implicating the study and its validity since the activity is mainly composed of participant’s self-reports and surveys. This year’s controversial presidential elections may have influenced the outcome of the study as well. Every four years, the United States brings about its presidential elections which are usually a valuable time to learn about our democracy, government and responsibilities as citizens. However, 2016’s elections are like nothing this country and the rest of the world has seen in recent times. Levels of fear and anxiety have elevated in individuals soon after candidate Trump (now president), blatantly delivered speeches that did not come up short on its share of racism and sexism, disregarding the feelings of those who made up his comments. His movement has brought about a division between the people of this country based on anger and hate. This has increased bullying, intimidation and harassment for those whose races, religions and ethnic backgrounds became the targets of his campaign and followers. The presidential election took place during the period of the study, which could have swayed the participant’s interaction with the behavioral activation and ultimately implicating the innervation of positive self-affirmation on their self-esteem. Students might have also been affected by the final vote count since most of the Rutgers students were leaning towards the democratic candidate. This can be portrayed by the November’s 16^th walkout, where more than a thousand Rutgers students and staff took to the streets that Wednesday to protest president-elect Donald Trump’s election. The participant’s interpretation of the activity is also a key factor to make it work. Cooperrider (2001) explains on his article, that in order to achieve a positive self-image and put it into action, an individual must be able to effectively use their affirmative capacities of mind, imagination, and reason. Participants must be able to analyze its meaning by doing what works best for them individually, this can become a problem if participants do not yet know or understand how to motivate themselves. The study also lacked specific ways on how positive affirmation could be performed, which could ultimately lead participants to failure of achieving the activation. Having a healthy lifestyle can also optimal for a positive outcome, self-esteem can decrease when there is lack of good hygiene or for sleep deprivation. A good balanced diet and exercise can also impact the outcome of self-esteem levels after the study. Unfortunately, college students are known for lack of healthy habits which can be due to the stressful college environment. Binge eating, constant alcohol consumption and lack of a balanced sleep pattern are some of the unhealthy activities that might affect the levels of self-esteem during the time of the study. Participants might have been going through difficult academic times like finals and assignments from other courses during the study. Working outside of school (full-time or part-time) can also have implications to time management. These can all be factors affecting the time invested and the outcome of the behavioral activation. The study itself was very limited, the period that was assigned to participants was not long enough to see any significant changes in their self-esteem levels. The task itself was too generalized as well, the self-reports and questionnaires did not cover other variables that might impact the association between the dependent and independent variable. The sample of participants was too small compared to the student population at large which limits the amount of useful information the study might provide. Future research can focus on prolonged periods of behavioral activation to further understand if positive self-affirmation can have significant results, and if it is found to be useful for treatment. Testing should also be updated and specified instead of using generalized questions. Researchers should continue conducting empirical research to determine key factors that contribute into ways to elevate self-esteem. They should also focus on the negative malpractices students use to affect their levels of self-esteem and by doing so, helping them maintain a good sense of self-esteem.

References

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