Social Psychology Won't Save Us

Origins

The self-esteem movement, which gained traction in the 1980s and 1990s, was driven by the belief that boosting self-esteem could solve various societal issues. Jesse Singal explains that this idea was popularized by California legislator John Vasconcellos, who lobbied for a state-funded self-esteem commission 1. The movement suggested that higher self-esteem would lead to better life outcomes, a notion that became deeply ingrained in American culture. However, Singal points out that this belief was more about changing one's mindset than based on solid scientific evidence 2.

   

Critique

Criticism of the self-esteem movement emerged around the turn of the century, revealing significant flaws in the supporting research. Singal notes that a comprehensive review led by social psychologist Bob Meister found no strong evidence that boosting self-esteem led to positive outcomes 3. Instead, the research often showed that high self-esteem could correlate with negative behaviors, such as criminal activity. Singal emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and questioning the evidence behind popular psychological interventions, urging individuals to scrutinize the validity of such claims 4.