Introduction
The point of self esteem is emphasized in many studies. This psychological norm is influential for individuals in the perception of the environmental peculiarities and circumstances of life. Moreover, this ability is helpful when communicating with people. The history shows numerous cases when self esteem in a man led to great achievements and discoveries. Examples of Caesar, Da Vinci, Napoleon, Tesla and others prove this idea. However, the reality provides an age-old question of whether self esteem leads to higher academic achievements? In this respect the reliability of the research props up against the analysis of what is known at the time. On the other hand, a mature researcher needs to consider a personal approach as of the problem evaluation.
This is why the research paper is divided into two sections. The first is dedicated toward the scientific approach toward self-esteem and its properties in academic achievements. The second part of the work represents a new research idea. It indicates a supporting opinion to the first section, but with minor assumptions and suggestions about it. In other words, it is a creative piece of work with points on logical reflections. Self esteem is the positive feature of character which should lead a person toward positive results.
Section 1
First of all, the research is intended to develop a rational idea about the relation between self esteem and education. For this purpose three academic sources on this problem are analyzed below. The statements, findings, and discussion in them represent the scientific observation of the problem. This is why the research needs applicable attention toward data analysis and its validity as well.
Stupnisky et al (2007) provide in their article a huge interest toward comparison of self esteem to perceived control for first-year students. The research of the authors touches upon the selective approach. Both constructs are observed in the study from the sides of their implementation to students. The role of self esteem in this respect seems to provide satisfaction and life adornment. Logically this opinion is rather strong and should help students in achieving high results. The researchers admit that the concept of self esteem can be colored positively or negatively. However, looking at the previous studies of eminent psychologists, this concept is “a fundamental human motive that we strive to protect and enhance” (Stupnisky, 2007, p. 305). Thereupon, the firm character of an individual’s urge for positive results is apparent in every sphere of peoples’ activities. People rely on their self esteem and this helps them to feel convenient. In education this performs particular inclinations of individuals toward higher results. In most cases students are trying to exaggerate their capabilities due to their self esteem. However, another question appears respectively: Is it a panacea for directing students in their academic achievements?
The authors intentionally attempted to work out this problem. For this purpose they illuminated another method for the goal underlined above. It is perceived control. Before examination of this feature in formation of a student intention toward positive results, the researchers fairly note some controversial opinions. First of all, self esteem became an instrument of manipulation at hands of educators and students. In other words, every first-year student goes through the process self-determination. This period includes several problems with student’s identification of himself/herself among the rest of peers. In this respects the researchers highlighted whether self esteem is helpful in attaining good marks. The analysis of previous studies at the very beginning of the research showed the
… this belief stems from the perception that people with higher, relative to lower, self esteem have greater aspirations, are more persistent in the face of failure, and are less likely to succumb to feelings of incompetence and self-doubt (Stupnisky et al, 2007, p. 305).
Thus, the study makes the assertion based on the experiment with first-year students that self esteem is a minor predictor for high results in education. Perceived control opposes to self esteem. Its significance is higher for the same goal.
On the other hand, Pullman & Allik (2008) research the phenomenon of self esteem, as a predictor of high academic results. However, in their research the authors came to a conclusion that lower level of self esteem, not high, develops in students more criticism of their work. The thing is that when a student is critically inclined to think about what he has done or did in the past, the self esteem becomes less significant. During the flow of the research the authors implemented appropriate methods, so that to define the paradox of lower general self esteem. The thing is that it is really the better predictor of high results compared to high self esteem. It can be explained due to the assumption that hyperbolizing personal abilities a student does not pay more attention on the practical side of assignments. On the other hand, high self esteem is the result of great efforts and current high achievements at large. This discussion is continued by the authors in their assumption about the problem. Hence, Pullman & Allik (2008) note that lower self esteem is not necessarily a bad mark for academic achievement. In this respect they outline two reasons, namely:
Firstly, it is possible that cognitively better developed and academically successful students have a more critical outlook on themselves. Secondly, students with more modest academic abilities compensate their academic deficiency by elevating their general self esteem (Pullman & Allik, 2008, p. 562).
Thus, the research showed a peculiarity about self esteem. It displayed that wise measure is in average approach for a student. In other words, the significance of lower general self esteem is more apparent in academic approach than of higher one.
Marsh & O’Mara (2008) illuminate in their approach a general outlook on the problem of positive self-concept. The argument of the researchers leads to the logical statement that positive beliefs promote positive results. Additionally the authors admit that there is a straightforward ratio between positive beliefs and positive achievements. However, the extent of such features matters in ascending character. Marsh & O’Mara (2008) approach two constructs from the points of psychology when noting that “both self-esteem and self-concepts involve cognitive and affective components” (543). This is why the points of protection and enhancement become more viable for the concept of self esteem in terms of the research. In fact, the results of the study indicated that self esteem had minimal effect on GPA in school dimension. On the contrary, the effect of academic self-concept was quite stronger (Marsh & O’Mara, 2008).
Section 2
The idea of self esteem is rather important when talking about the formation of personality. In this respect the features of personal attitude toward education are at a core of the discussion. The thing is that general outlook on the problem does not consider points of some nuances. The niche of exclusions is not outlined in the above mentioned researches. This is why it is important to examine the significance of high self esteem from the theoretical point of view. It is logical to admit that high level of self esteem leads to overestimation of personal participation in the educational process. However, one should not mix it with the concepts of hypocrisy and condemnation. On the other hand, higher standards are born due to higher approaches to actions. Actions were the result of rational thinking. Thinking over an issue is produced due to concernment of an individual about it. This logical chain demonstrates that being interested in higher achievements in GPA levels; a student should have no inner obstacle for that.
Continuing the discussion, it is necessary to admit that the above stated assertions are fair. They represent almost similar point of view. However, not all categories of students were admitted. First, the category of handicapped or physically disabled in some points children are outlined. The idea of such children’s more distinctive urge to be highly evaluated in education is rational, because they need to have high self esteem (Marschark, 2007). Being discarded in social dimension, these children in most cases are attempting to attain higher grades due to their applicable high self esteem.
On the other hand, contemporary researchers do not know the possible short-term changes in the mankind which are evaluated with the generation of Millennials. The hypothetic evaluation of probable leap forward in human development can be strengthened due to high self esteem. Especially on the initial stage of education such measures are better to be used. New circle in development of the human kind is inevitable due to the fast-growing technologies and cases of greater achievements of contemporary science. However, the points on logical intentions of researchers stated above are rational enough. Modesty and self-criticism are really vital for a student. In fact, these traits can be advanced with more ambitions for life (Weiten, 2008). It is known that ambitions of an individual determine his/her place under the sun. Hence, this fact gives a suggestion for making self esteem significant in academic achievements.
Conclusion
To sum up, high self esteem is believed to be a significant predictor of higher academic results. The studies on this problem develop an opposite opinion. The lower rate of self esteem correlates a student in his/her success in education with more distinction. The concepts of perceived control, modesty, and self-concept are indicated to be of stronger significance for higher results in education. This is why the research confronts the controversy of logical, from the first side, evaluation of self esteem with appropriate research stating the fallacy of such assertion. The independent outlook on the problem provides personal reflection of the problem. In this respect the additional suppositions were suggested for the purpose of deeper examination of the problem. The field of psychology has its continuation due to the idea that some reflections of a man’s consciousness are not examined from the side of a definite scientific point of view. Thus, high self esteem is considered today as a minor predictor for higher academic results, but this issue may give quite opposite results tomorrow.
Reference
Marsh, H. W. & O’Mara, A. (2008). “Reciprocal Effects Between Academic Self-Concept, Self-Esteem, Achievement, and Attainment Over Seven Adolescent Years: Unidimensional and Multidimensional Perspectives of Self-Concept.” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 34: 542.
Marschark, M. (2007). Raising and educating a deaf child: a comprehensive guide to the choices, controversies, and decisions faced by parents and educators. Ed. 2. Oxford: Oxford University Press US.
Pullmann, H. & Allik, J. (2008). “Relations of academic and general self-esteem to school achievement.” Personality and Individual Differences 45: 559–564.
Stupnisky, R. H., Renaud, R. D., Perry, R. P., Ruthig J. C., Haynes T. L. & Clifton, R. A. (2007). “Comparing self-esteem and perceived control as predictors of first-year college students’ academic achievement.” Social Psychology of Education 10: 303–330.
Weiten, W. (2008). Psychology: Themes and Variations. Ed. 8. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.