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Self-Esteem

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Evolutionary Perspectives on Social Psychology

Part of the book series: Evolutionary Psychology ((EVOLPSYCH))

Abstract

Evolutionary psychology provides a comprehensive framework for conceptualizing the cognitive and affective mechanisms that humans possess, one of which is self-esteem. Sociometer theory is arguably one of the leading theories of self-esteem from an evolutionary psychology perspective. The current chapter reviews the evidence for sociometer theory within the context of the core premises of evolutionary psychology in an attempt to understand the role and function of self-esteem. Although there is mounting support for this theory, there are still areas that require further investigation, such as the number of sociometers that exist and the domain-specific versus domain-general nature of these gauges of social inclusion.

Perhaps more ink has been devoted to the issue of self-esteem…than to any other single topic in psychology. Kirkpatrick and Ellis (2001, p. 411)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Social Work, and Social Policy, University of South Australia, Magill Campus, GPO Box 2471, 5001, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Phillip S. Kavanagh Ph.D. & Hayley E. Scrutton M.S.

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  1. Phillip S. Kavanagh Ph.D.
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  2. Hayley E. Scrutton M.S.
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Correspondence to Phillip S. Kavanagh Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Virgil Zeigler-Hill

  2. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Lisa L. M. Welling

  3. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

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Kavanagh, P., Scrutton, H. (2015). Self-Esteem. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Welling, L., Shackelford, T. (eds) Evolutionary Perspectives on Social Psychology. Evolutionary Psychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12697-5_10

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