Gender differences in self-esteem: A meta-analysis.

Kling, Kristen C.; Hyde, Janet Shibley; Showers, Carolin J.; Buswell, Brenda N.

doi:10.1037/0033-2909.125.4.470

Cited by 1,138 publications

(915 citation statements)

References 322 publications

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“…Men and women in their 70s barely differed in self-esteem (d ϭ .08), and in the oldest age group the gender difference reversed, with women in their 80s reporting slightly higher self-esteem than men in their 80s (d ϭ Ϫ.08). Kling et al (1999) found a similar convergence between men and women in old age (d ϭ Ϫ.03 for individuals age 60 and older). The present findings provide a more precise portrait of gender differences in self-esteem, and allow us to pinpoint changes in the magnitude of the difference within particular decades, and even years, of life.…”

Section: Demographic Differences In the Self-esteem Trajectorysupporting

confidence: 54%

Stability of self-esteem across the life span.

Trzesniewski

Donnellan

Robins

2003

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

644

479

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This study provides a comprehensive picture of age differences in self-esteem from age 9 to 90 years using cross-sectional data collected from 326,641 individuals over the Internet. Self-esteem levels were high in childhood, dropped during adolescence, rose gradually throughout adulthood, and declined sharply in old age. This trajectory generally held across gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and nationality (U.S. citizens vs. non-U.S. citizens). Overall, these findings support previous research, help clarify inconsistencies in the literature, and document new trends that require further investigation.

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Section: Demographic Differences In the Self-esteem Trajectorysupporting

confidence: 54%

Stability of self-esteem across the life span.

Trzesniewski

Donnellan

Robins

2003

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

644

479

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…To begin with, gender differences in self-esteem have long been reported from samples of young and middle-aged adults, typically with higher self-esteem among men relative to women (Kling, Hyde, Showers, & Buswell, 1999). However, there is evidence to suggest that these differences are considerably smaller in old age (Orth, et al, 2010;Robins, et al, 2002) or even non-existent (Huang, 2010), probably because late life is related to less strict social and role expectations (Freund, 2000).…”

Section: Correlates Of Late-life Self-esteem Trajectoriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The nature and correlates of self-esteem trajectories in late life.

Wagner¹,

Gerstorf²,

Hoppmann³

et al. 2013

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

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Is it possible to maintain a positive perspective on the self into very old age? Empirical research so far is rather inconclusive with some studies reporting substantial self-esteem declines late in life, whereas others report relative stability into old age. In this report, we examine long-term change trajectories in self-esteem in old age and very old age and link them to key correlates in the health, cognitive, self-regulatory, and social domains. To do so, we estimate growth curve models over chronological age and time-to-death using 18-year longitudinal data from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing (N = 1,215; age 65-103 at first occasion; M = 78.8 years, SD = 5.9, 45% women). Results revealed that self-esteem was, on average, fairly stable with minor declines only emerging in advanced ages and at the very end of life. Examining the vast between-person differences revealed that lower cognitive abilities and lower perceived control independently related to lower self-esteem. Also, lower cognitive abilities were associated with steeper age-related and mortality-related self-esteem decrements. In our discussion, we consider a variety of challenges that potentially shape selfesteem late in life and highlight the need for more mechanism-oriented research to better understand the pathways underlying stability and change in self-esteem.Word count: 204

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“…Two earlier meta-analyses both found small differences favouring males (Feingold, 1994;Hall, 1984). A more recent meta-analysis, which used predominantly North American samples, again revealed an overall small effect size of 0.21 favouring males with respect to global self-esteem (Kling, Hyde, Showers, & Buswell, 1999). A significant quadratic effect with age was also found, which indicated that the largest difference emerged in late adolescence.…”

Section: Self-esteemmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…Kling et al, 1999). Some have focused on gender roles, where many qualities associated with the male role are naturally linked to a high self-esteem (Koivula, 1999a).…”

Section: Self-esteemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This has led researchers (e.g., Kling et al, 1999) to suggest that females may utilise certain self-esteem protection strategies, highlighted in Crocker and Major's (1989) It has been proposed that differences in self-esteem scores are more likely to mirror the different strategies of integrating self-concept, where females are more likely to use self-testing tendencies (being more reactive to the importance of feedback) and males self-status quo tendencies. (Roberts & Nolen-Hoeksema, 1989).…”

Section: Self-esteemmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Exercising the Self: On the Role of Exercise, Gender and Culture in Physical-self Perceptions

Lindwall¹

2004

PsycEXTRA Dataset

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In modern society, individuals constantly pass judgments on their own body and physical competence as well as that of other people. All too often, the verdict is less favourable. For the person, these physical self-perceptions (PSP) may negatively affect global self-esteem, identity, and general mental well being. The overall aim of this thesis is to examine primarily the role that exercise, but also the roles that gender and culture, play in the formation of PSP. In Study I, using confirmatory factor analyses, strong support for the validity of a firstorder, and a second-order hierarchical and multidimensional model of the Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP: Fox & Corbin, 1989) was found across three national samples (Great Britain, Sweden and Turkey) of university students. Cross-cultural differences were detected, with the British sample demonstrating higher latent means on all PSPP subdomains except for the physical condition subdomain (Condition), than the Swedish and Turkish samples. In Study II, a higher self-reported exercise frequency was associated with more positive PSP (in particular for Condition) and more importance attributed to PSP in Swedish university students. Males demonstrated higher overall PSPP-scores than females. In Study III, a true-experimental design with randomisation into an intervention and a control group was adopted. Strong support for the effects of an empowerment-based exercise intervention programme on PSP and social physique anxiety (SPA) over six months for adolescent girls was found. The relations of exercise, gender and culture with PSP, SPA and self-esteem are discussed from the standpoints of a variety of theoretical models (e.g., the EXSEM-model), and frameworks (self-presentation and objectification theory). The two theories of self-enhancement and skilldevelopment are examined with regard to the direction of the exercise-physical self relationship and motivation for exercise. Arguments for the relevance of exercise and PSP for practitioners in promoting general mental well-being and preventing modern-day diseases are outlined. Brown, 1998; p. 193). "It is pretty well understood now that the result of physical training is to train the nervous centres more than the muscles"(James, 1899; p. 220). AcknowledgementsThe work presented in this doctoral dissertation was supported financially by the following institutions: The Department of Psychology, Stockholm University;The Swedish National Center for Research in Sports (CIF); The School of Social and Health Sciences, Halmstad University and Stockholm University College of Physical Education and Sports.Writing a doctoral dissertation can be described as being stranded (fortunately mentally more than physically) on a deserted island for four years. In the quest for survival in the academic jungle (i.e. in the context of writing a PhD dissertation, to finish in the predetermined time of four years), the famous philosophical quotation from the poet and theologian John Donne (1573-1631):"No man is an island, entire ...

show abstract

Gender differences in self-esteem: A meta-analysis.

Cited by 1,138 publications

References 322 publications

Stability of self-esteem across the life span.

Stability of self-esteem across the life span.

The nature and correlates of self-esteem trajectories in late life.

Exercising the Self: On the Role of Exercise, Gender and Culture in Physical-self Perceptions

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