THE 8 TYPES OF SELF-ESTEEM AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - ARTE - 2025

The types of self-esteem can be classified into several levels according to the most known and used models: Hornstein's and Ross's. Self-esteem is the appreciation and esteem that someone has towards himself; it is extremely important to lead a good quality of life and to be successful personally and professionally.

Self-esteem is found innately in each individual from birth and undergoes modifications throughout our lives as we develop. We do not always have the same self-esteem, since it changes due to our relationship with the world around us as well as with the society in which we live.

On the other hand, a person's self-esteem needs to be “fed” externally continuously so that it develops properly from childhood stages.

The first five classes of self-esteem that we present belong to Hornstein's classification and the last three to Ross's.

Types of self-esteem according to Hornstein

1- High and stable self-esteem

This type could correspond to that of strong or high self-esteem, since people with this type of self-esteem are not influenced by what happens around them in a negative way.

In addition, they are able to defend their point of view calmly and they function successfully over time without collapsing.

2- High and unstable self-esteem

These people are also characterized by having high self-esteem but not by maintaining it over time.

They do not usually have enough tools to face stressful environments that tend to destabilize them, so they do not accept failure nor do they accept positions that are opposite to theirs.

3- Stable and low self-esteem

These people are characterized by undervaluing themselves at all times, that is, by thinking that they cannot do what they set out to do.

On the other hand, they are very indecisive and fear making mistakes, so they will always seek the support of another person. Nor do they fight for their points of view since they are generally valued negatively.

4- Unstable and low self-esteem

We could say that people who have this self-esteem are those who prefer to go unnoticed at all times and who think that they cannot achieve anything.

On the other hand, they are usually very sensitive and influential and prefer not to confront anyone even if they know that the other person is not right.

5-Inflated self-esteem

People with this type of self-esteem are characterized by having a strong personality and believing themselves better than the people around them. Therefore, they never listen or pay any attention to them.

They also tend to blame others in stressful situations and have a very big ego. They are not capable of correcting their own mistakes nor are they capable of criticizing themselves. They are characterized by being very materialistic and superficial.

Types of self-esteem according to Ross

According to Ross, a person can have collapsed, vulnerable and strong self-esteem.

1- Collapsed or low self-esteem

People who have it often do not appreciate themselves, which leads them to not feel good in their life.

This makes them overly sensitive to what others may say about them, so that if it is negative it will harm you and if it is positive it will increase your self-esteem.

They may also feel sorry for themselves and even ashamed. If a teenager shows this type of self-esteem in high school, they can be the victim of bullying or bullying by their classmates and even be excluded.

2- Vulnerable or regular self-esteem

In this type, the person has a good self-concept but their self-esteem is fragile in negative situations such as: the loss of a loved one, not getting what they want or propose…

This will lead you to create defense mechanisms in order to avoid these types of situations or having to make decisions, since you fear making mistakes and doing things wrong.

3- Strong or high self-esteem

It consists of having an image and self-concept of oneself strong enough so that any mistake that is made is not capable of influencing self-esteem.

People with this self-esteem are not afraid of making mistakes and tend to overflow with optimism, humility and joy.

How do you explain having one type and not another of self-esteem?

Self-esteem is formed as we grow thanks to our relationship with ourselves and with the environment and the people around us.

There are several factors that influence the type of self-esteem that one has:

Family and friends

Our parents are going to be in charge of building our self-esteem from the moment we are born. If they do not bear it in mind, they can negatively affect the labels or comments that they assign to us when addressing us: “you are stupid” or “you are a disobedient child” are some common examples.

As the child grows, his self-esteem will be strengthened or weakened based on these labels, which, like his parents, will be given by his teachers and friends.

Scope of goals and objectives

To enjoy a good self-esteem something very important that has to exist in our life are the goals and objectives.

Getting some of them will give us the confidence we need and will also increase the positive perception that people have of us, which in turn will have a positive influence.

Attention received

Being accepted and respected by the people around us also helps us develop a type of self-esteem, in this case a high type.

On the other hand, receiving interest in the people you care about is also another element to take into account and that will help build self-esteem.

What is the difference between self-confidence and self-esteem?

Self-confidence refers to objectives or goals that a person proposes and in their ability to achieve them, while self-esteem is understood as a global assessment that a person makes of himself.

An example would be: I am an excellent painter and I know that I am going to have many exhibitions all over the world (self-confidence) but I do not like my body or how I speak and even the way I hold the brush, etc.

How can we improve our self-esteem?

If you have low or regular self-esteem and want to improve it, here are some tips that you can start to apply in your life.

Love yourself

Loving yourself is one of the best medicines that exist to increase self-esteem. If we only look at our flaws and what we do not do correctly, we will live disappointed and frustrated with ourselves.

Therefore, we have to pay more attention to those that make us special and unique and that we are also great at doing.

Don't be a perfectionist

Perfection does not exist as such, there will always be something that we do not know how to do well. Being extremely critical will not benefit us and will hinder our self-esteem and our love of ourselves.

Take failures constructively

Everyone makes mistakes and we also have to allow ourselves to do it, because if we are not wrong we can never learn properly. Mistakes must be seen as sources of learning and not as personal attacks.

Set realistic goals

We have to be able to set goals that are viable and that we are capable of achieving both in the short and long term. If it is not done in this way it will only create discomfort and once again we will not be happy with ourselves.

Feel proud

We must feel proud of who we are and what we have achieved in our life because it has been the result of our effort and dedication only and exclusively.

If you want to continue delving into this topic, you cannot miss the article: 14 world experts give their opinion on how to improve self-esteem.

References

1. Branden, Nathaniel (1990) How to improve your self-esteem (original 1987). Paidós Ibérica Editions.
2. Ellis, Albert (2005) The Myth of Self-esteem: how rational emotive behavior therapy can change your life forever, Prometheus Books.
3. Hornstein, LH (2011). Self-esteem and identity: narcissism and social values ​​(No. 159.964. 2). Fund of Economic Culture,.
4. López Isasmendi M. (S / F). The three states of self-esteem.
5. Ross, Martin. The Map of Self-Esteem. 2013. Dunken.