Self-Assessment of Self-Identity and Self-Esteem

Complete the self-assessments on pp. 206-209. Keep in mind that these assessments have no professional validity and are only used to help you obtain a better understanding of your sense of self for the purposes of this class; in no way should they be viewed as a valid evaluation. How accurately do you think these exercises evaluate self-concept and self-esteem? How do self-concept and self-esteem influence your self-identity? How do self-concept, self-esteem, and self-identity differ?

I do not know about the accuracy of these tests because I don’t think that things such as self-esteem can be directly correlated in simple numbers. Maybe a matrix or something like that, but certainly not in a single real number. I think that the first test about self-concept does shed some light between our self-identity and our desired self. I don’t know about the difference correlating directly with self-esteem. For instance one of the questions was about being over-weight. Well if you actually are over-weight then it might have nothing to do with your self-esteem. Self-esteem seems to be a reactionary perception of yourself depending on external events according to the text. I do not completely agree with this assertion. I have always believed that self-esteem is deciding internally irrespective of external events. Self-concept seems to be more about our perception of our traits; whereas, self-identity has more to do with who we are. It is confusing trying to differentiate between the three. They seem to describe a different side of the same coin.

Our self-concept is our perception of our traits and our self-esteem is our opinion of how those traits impact our self-worth, which defines our self-identity. That is the best I could do to summarize the three concepts.


Nevid, J.S., Rathus, S.A. (2005). Psychology and the challenges of life: Adjustment in the new millennium. Danvers, M.A.: Wiley.


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