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Honors Projects Psychology

2000

Loneliness and Self-Esteem at Different Levels of the Self

Kiley L. Bednar '00 Illinois Wesleyan University

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Recommended Citation Bednar '00, Kiley L., " and Self-Esteem at Different Levels of the Self" (2000). Honors Projects. 20. https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/psych_honproj/20

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Loneliness and Self-Esteem

Running Head: LONELINESS AND SELF-ESTEEM

Loneliness and Self-Esteem at Different Levels ofthe Self

Kiley L. Bednar

Illinois Wesleyan University

Reading Committee:

John M. Ernst, Ph.D. Linda Kunce, Ph.D. Vicki Magee, Ph.D. Mary Ann Bushman, Ph.D.

Approwxl# P/J1 L;;c- Psychology Department •

Loneliness and Self-Esteem 2

Abstract Loneliness is proposed to have three dimensions: isolation, connectedness, and belongingness (Hawkley, et aI., 1999). In an extension ofthe work by Hawkley and colleagues (1999), these levels are hypothesized to be a function ofthree unique aspects of self: personal, relational, and collective. Brewer (1996) proposed that self-esteem is experienced differently at each level ofself. Personal self-esteem is how a person feels about himselfor herselfbased on his or her individual traits and characteristics.

Relational self-esteem is based on whether a person believes that he or she exhibits appropriate behavior in a one-on-one relationship. Collective self-esteem is how one evaluates his or her participation in a group and how others evaluate the group as well.

Given different levels ofself-esteem and prior research showing a negative correlation between loneliness and self-esteem, the hypothesis that there is a stronger relationship between loneliness and self-esteem within each level ofselfrelative to between levels was tested. Dimensions ofloneliness and self-esteem were examined by having male ahd female undergraduates (ages 18-21) complete the Loneliness Dimension Scale, the

Collective Self-Esteem Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and a new measure of relational self-esteem. Correlations were then calculated to determine the relationship between loneliness and self-esteem at each level: personal, relational, and collective.

Correlations were analyzed for significance. Results show trends supporting the hypotheses for the personal, relational, and collective levels and significant differences were found for the relational and collective levels. •

Loneliness and Self-Esteem 3

Loneliness and Self-Esteem at Different Levels ofthe Self

Ifyou have ever experienced a period of loneliness in your life, you may already know that these are often accompanied by feelings of low self-esteem. Although loneliness and self-esteem are individual psychological constructs, both are very important aspects ofindividuals' lives. Loneliness may be described as a negative state and "reflects an individual's subjective perception ofdeficiencies in his or her network of social relationships" (Russell, Cutrona,