Beverly McClaskey
SOC 300
Week 12—Fall 2014 November 6, 2014
Final Project
Self-esteem is defined in our text as “people’s evaluations of their own self-worth—that is, the extent to which they view themselves as good, competent, and decent (Aronson, Wilson and Akert 13). I have observed over the past couple of decades that more emphasis has been placed on the recognition and support of personal self-esteem. In generations past, this concept was not recognized as part of development. When our parents and grandparents were growing up, it was not common practice for adults to foster an inner belief of capability.
My feelings on this subject have not changed; I am, however, more informed in regards to the foundation of self-esteem. I have learned that self-esteem is a method in which we deal with our own mortality (Aronson, Wilson and Akert 130) and that while having a high self-esteem can help you to be a more productive person, an increase in narcissism has been observed in students born after 1980 (Aronson, Wilson and Akert 131). I bounce between wanting to help others develop their own self-esteem to feel more confident in their abilities to wanting people to realize that there are just some things that they are not going to be good at regardless of how much they tell themselves that they can do this. A healthy dose of reality is necessary to balance the high self-esteem that can lead to narcissism. Every one of us has encountered a new person and immediately made initial judgments as to who this person. Sometimes we are right but many times we have used preconceived notions to categorize their being. I did not learn much new about this topic but I did solidify my knowledge that first impressions may not always be accurate and that it is very important to take the time to get to know a person before making permanent judgments. Sometimes our first impressions are colored by a lifetime of prejudice that must be dealt with in order to achieve the balance that is needed. My thoughts in regards to gender bias have altered just a bit over time. Gender roles were clearly defined in my formative years but as times and perceptions change, roles are broadened. It began with the “anything boys can do, girls can do better” thinking that came about during my junior high years. Girls were encouraged to pursue educational and career paths that were traditionally male-oriented. In recent years, that encouragement has started to reverse and men pursue paths that are typically female-oriented. I have always believed that people should do what they want with their lives but when presented with these changes, especially as pertaining to men, I would still find myself looking a little sideways. This is a work in progress to try to adjust those inherent thoughts that have been formed since my youth. I like to think that I am open-minded and accepting of all cultures. We all have beautiful histories and it would be beneficial if we were able to put aside preconceived notions and learn from each other. During this class, we have been challenged to reach outside of ourselves to understand and be aware of those that are different from our norm. I would say that I did have certain culture biases but that I am working through them with education and exposure.
Peer pressure Peer pressure is a tough one. While I have not learned anything new specifically during this course, I have reviewed my own views on the subject. Peer pressure in and of itself is not good or bad. A person can be persuaded to collect donations for a charity just as they could be persuaded to tag a building with graffiti. It is a matter of how the individual perceives themselves. What I have learned over time is that individuals who do not have a strong support system are more likely to be swayed by the “bad” peer pressure than those that do have that support system and someone they can turn to when faced with tough decisions.
We all have a need to be accepted and it really depends on how we go about achieving that acceptance that forms parts of our personality. When it comes to relationships, there are many ways that we attach ourselves (Aronson, Wilson and Akert 284-287). This is done subconsciously…we most often don’t even realize that this is how we act. This concept is one that I definitely learned some things about myself during my studies. How we attach or present ourselves makes a big difference on how others react to us. I have taken some of this new knowledge and looked deep within myself. Knowing that how we have always acted in relationships does not have to be how we will act in the future gave me the strength to end a relationship that was no longer beneficial to me but that I held on to out of fear of not knowing if I would ever find someone to feel that same way with again. The attachment style that I have is not conducive to healthy relationships but I have most often used what I know in my attempt to be wanted, needed, and accepted.
This class has opened my eyes to many things that I only had cursory knowledge of. I knew the issues existed and know have the tools to pursue the further study and change.

Works Cited
Aronson, Elliot, Timothy D Wilson and Robin M Akert. Social Psychology. 8th. Pearson, 2013. Print. 2014.