Measuring Self-Esteem: Validation of a New Scoring Technique for "Who Am I?" Responses

Abstract

A new scoring method for "Who Am I?" responses as a measure of self-esteem is validated and used to test the relationship between self-esteem and psychological centrality. Participants responded to the question "Who Am I?" 20 times, then ranked each response for how important (psychologically central) it was to the way they felt about themselves. They also provided satisfaction ratings for each response. Convergent validity for the scoring technique was assessed using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale, the self-assurance scale from the Self-Description Inventory, and a measure of social anxiety. Private-Public Self-Consciousness and Tolerance scales were used to assess discriminant validity. The usefulness of the new scoring technique as a measure of psychological centrality and self-esteem is discussed.

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