Self‐esteem and values |
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| Authors: | Jan‐Erik Lönnqvist Markku Verkasalo Klaus Helkama Galina M Andreyeva Irina Bezmenova Anna Maria Manganelli Rattazzi Toomas Niit Anna Stetsenko |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Finland;2. Department of Social Psychology, University of Helsinki, Finland;3. Moscow State University, Russia;4. Russian State University of Humanities, Moscow, Russia;5. University of Padova, Italy;6. Tallinn University, Estonia;7. City University of New York, USA |
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| Abstract: | The purpose of the present study was to connect personal values to self‐esteem in 14 samples (N = 3612) of pre‐professionals, high school students, and adults, from Finland, Russia, Switzerland, Italy, and Estonia. Self‐enhancement values (power, achievement) and openness to change values (self‐direction, stimulation) were positively, and self‐transcendence values (universalism, benevolence) and conservation values (tradition) were negatively related to self‐esteem. These direct relations between values and self‐esteem were only partly consistent with predictions derived from Maslow's theory of growth and deficiency needs. In samples of pre‐professionals, self‐esteem was correlated with congruence between personal values and the prevailing values environment. On the group‐level, endorsement of achievement and universalism values was more strongly and positively related to self‐esteem in samples where these values were considered more important. In contrast, endorsement of self‐direction and hedonism values was more strongly and positively related to self‐esteem in samples where these values were considered less important. These group‐level results are interpreted as suggesting that attainment of culturally significant goals may raise self‐esteem, but that high self‐esteem may be required for the pursuit of less socially desirable goals. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
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