Self-concept and self-esteem reexamined

Three “self” constructs are differentiated: the “self,” that is, the “real” self; the “self-concept,” which is the information or cognitions an individual has about his “self;” and “self-esteem,” which is the judgment and feelings about the “self.” An individual's self-concept can be characterized by its realism or unrealism, its completeness or incompleteness, or by the complexity of the concepts used to describe the self. Self-esteem, but not self-concept, can be described as being positive or negative. Developmental considerations and implications are discussed.     

Self-esteem and school performance

Self-esteem was found to have a moderate relationship with, but not a strong independent effect on, school achievement and behavior for a sample of 530 twelve-year-olds. From multiple correlation coefficients predicting school outcomes from measures of socioeconomic status, IQ, and self-esteem, it was concluded that much of the relationship between self-esteem and school performance for the general school population can best be explained as reflecting common underlying factors such as ability and background.